Koi Mizu
by Wedge2
Summary: A fic written by a friend of mine. Delves into what happens after Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2.
1. Light

Koi Mizu   


  
  


IMPORTANT NOTE: This fanfic takes place AFTER the movie Tenchi Muyo! in Love 2 (Tenchi Forever). I'm sorry, but you should not read this fic unless you have seen this movie. If you haven't seen the movie, then none of the first chapter will make any sense, and it will seem like everyone is out of character. SEE THE MOVIE, then read the fic.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: This fic is not by Wedge. But by Wedge's friend ILR. Wedge is just putting this up at fanfiction.net for his friend, ILR.

**Koi Mizu**

Chapter 1: Prologue

  
Ryoko turned to Tenchi and threw her arms around him. She leaned in close to his ear and whispered. "Hey Tenchiiiii. Did you read that IMPORTANT NOTE up there?"

"Huh what?" Tenchi was baffled.

"You have to read that note Tenchi, you can't skip it, since it's so important." Ryoko's voice became very stern.

"Oh fine I'll read it..." There was a short pause as Tenchi scanned the lines above (something YOU should have already done!!)

"Did you read it?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't apply to me because I lived it all, of coarse I know all about that."

"Well, some people don't know." Ryoko glares at YOU!

"Well, the REAL fanfic will be starting now, just wanted to make sure you read the IMPORTANT NOTE!"

  
**Koi Mizu**

Chapter 1: Light

  
Tenchi ducked behind a wall of guards and noble men to sneak into an unoccupied and darkened room in his home. He let out a sigh, "Heh, it sure has been getting crowded around here..." Tenchi was referring to the almost violent handshakes and pats on the back he was receiving non-stop from his party guests.

It seems that the ceremony to turn his home into a Jurain embassy was even more trouble than he thought.

The whole thing really was Washu's idea even though Aeka was taking credit for it, not like she WANTED to take credit for it. But Aeka was desperate for a reason to stay on Earth. Tenchi was definitely not going to try and stop her, he already felt bad enough about denying her love after living together for so long. Even though she reassured him that she was happy for him and Ryoko, he was still a little guilty. Tenchi remembers how it happened.

  
It had only been a couple days after Tenchi's return to the real world; things have already returned to normal. Well, not completely normal. His time spent in Haruna's world definitely had its affect on Ryoko and Aeka. When he came back they both had changed so much, it was like meeting them for the fist time all over again.

Ryoko made her way to the top of the hill, she remembered seeing Tenchi headed in this direction earlier. She quietly tracked around the brush until she saw him. He was sitting down faced away; he looked like he was working on something.

"Tenchi." She called to him quietly. Tenchi looked up from his sketchpad to see Ryoko standing beside him.

"Ryoko." He greeted her politely.

"So this is where you went." Ryoko gazed across the reflective pond.

"Did you think I disappeared again?" He jested.

"I'd just go get you, if you did." Her voice was full of confidence.

Tenchi smiled to her, "Thank you." He looked up for a moment to see Ryoko smiling warmly at him. "Huh?"

"I like you better this way." She crouched down and reached over to tug on his cheek.

"Ouch!" Tenchi winced in pain. "What are you doing?"

Ryoko giggled softly at his squirming. "You mad?"

"Huh?" Tenchi was surprised she was asking.

Ryoko stood up again and looked across the scenery. "That's ok, if you are."

"Ryoko...?" Tenchi laughed at this new revelation. "That's stupid. Doesn't sound like you at all." Ryoko thought to herself for a moment. He was right. The old Ryoko wouldn't say that. But in a way, she was glad for that.

Ryoko's train of though broke when she noticed Tenchi's pencil and pad. "Well, well. You're drawing, huh?"

"Yeah, all of a sudden I just felt like drawing. My dad used to draw like this when he was my age."

"Yeah, that's right." She remembered how the young Nobuyuki was about drawing on their trip into the past. He would draw with a passion, like he was trying to create the things and places he drew.

"Drawing makes me feel so nostalgic, somehow." He looked up at Ryoko. "It makes me feel like I once had something really important." Just then there was a gleam in Tenchi's eye, as if he made a startling revelation.

Ryoko smiled warmly down on him. "Tenchi..."

Tenchi stood up beside Ryoko and stared across the pond. A friendly gust of wind blew across them and both Tenchi and Ryoko breathed in the warm air. Tenchi glanced over to Ryoko who seemed to be deep in thought. Tenchi was amazed; Ryoko was a changed person. She was calmer, more restrained, unlike the Ryoko that took almost everything for granted. Did Tenchi really have that big of an affect on Ryoko? Such much of an affect that 6 months away can cause a change of attitude this big? He was definitely curious.

Tenchi was shaken from his thought when Ryoko said, "Let's go back, I think I can smell sweet potatoes cooking."

"Yeah. Good idea." Tenchi started on his way but stopped as he passed Ryoko. He looked into her golden eyes. He saw something there that he had never seen before. As they gazed into each other warmly Tenchi took her hand in his. "Let's go."

Back at the bottom of the hill, where the rest of the Masaki family had been eating delicious sweet potatoes, Sasami took a small pale of water and doused the fire she used for cooking.

"Aww Sasami, I was still hungry!" Mihoshi cried.

"Sorry Mihoshi, but we didn't have any more potatoes."

Kiyone rolled her eye's at her partner's incredible appetite. "Didn't you eat most of them anyway?"

"I'm sorry Kiyone, but it's been three hours since I ate last and I was really hungry." Kiyone would have a clever quip to this, but she didn't want to upset the peace that had settled in on the scenery.

"Hey look, here comes Ryoko and Tenchi." Washu said.

Tenchi saw the crowd from a distance and waved to them. He then saw Aeka turn and he tensed, realizing he was still holding hands with Ryoko. His mind zipped through all the possible way Aeka could react, and none of them were good. But instead of fights, accusations, and insults, she just smiled and waved back. *Amazing...*

When they arrived with the rest they were disappointed to be informed that all the snacks were gone.

"Well that's ok. I think we can manage until dinner time." Tenchi said.

Aeka turned to Tenchi and looked over him. "I must say Tenchi, you're much more handsome than before."

"Heh, you and Ryoko both. I'll be sure never to grow up then." Tenchi laughed.

"Yeah Aeka, I couldn't agree with you more. His short hair looks much better." Ryoko tousled his hair a bit.

Aeka giggled. Tenchi started to feel a little uncomfortable. Showing this much affection to Ryoko right in front of Aeka made him nervous. He was still worried about the old Aeka. It was almost like a bad habit.

Ryoko felt his tension through his hand and tried to loosen things up. "Well, looks like we all have the afternoon off. How about we all watch TV or something..." Ryoko said, having a sudden loss of ideas.

"That sounds like a great idea." Tenchi said, almost too hastily.

"You two go ahead. I want to help Sasami with some more chores." They both started to make there way down the shrine hill before Aeka stopped them again. "Ryoko, Tenchi, I uh... am happy for you... both." 

Just as she said those words a black cloud over Tenchi vanished. "Thank you, Aeka. You don't know how much that means to me."

"And me too." Ryoko added. Both Aeka and Ryoko's thoughts flashed back to the fateful moments on the roof of the office building. The moment when Ryoko needed one last push, in order to save Tenchi. She would have never guessed that Aeka would be the one to tell her to go. They gave their last silent good-byes as nods and Ryoko and Tenchi turned for the house.

After they disappeared over the hill Aeka began to wonder how things came to be. In an odd sense of mind, she was almost glad Haruna had captured Tenchi. She never realized how spoiled she was. Throughout their entire adventure through space, their battle with Kain, and the almost endless antics with Ryoko, Aeka had always known that things would swing her way. In the back of her mind she always knew that Tenchi would fall in love with her over Ryoko.

But that all changed when Haruna came. Having lost contact with her love for so long, it was as if the crown had been knocked from her head. During the last weeks of the search, she was so desperate reunite everyone she didn't care who Tenchi chose. She just wanted everyone to be happy again, like they were before. Knowing that all the pieces to the puzzle were finally coming together made her happy as well.

Aeka found Sasami picking up the last of their earlier meal. "Hello Sasami, What chores would you like to start on today?"

"Oh hi big sis. You know, I don't really feel like working right now..."

*WHAT?!* This was so uncharacteristic, Sasami always took pleasure in doing housework. "Sasami, are you feeling ok? Are you sick?"

"I'm fine Aeka, I just wanted to rest a little." Then suddenly her face lit up, as if she just had a brilliant idea. "Hey Aeka! How about we ask Azaka and Kamedake over for a visit? I know it's only been a little bit since I've seen them but that was so boring, we were working, not playing. C'mon Aeka it'll be fun having them around again."

It was so obvious that she had been mulling over that idea for sometime now, but Aeka played along. "Well I don't see why not. We must get permission from Tenchi and his father first. If he says yes, I'm sure Washu can use her technology to set up communications."

"What do ya guys need me to do?" the little red haired scientists poked her head into the conversation in hearing her own name.

"Oh Washu, can you call Jurai? Please, please, please, please, please, please!"

"Sasami! Where are your manners?" Aeka scolded.

"Sorry..."

"Ok now... hold on a second." Washu's holo computer materialized right before her. "You need me to call Juria? What's the occasion? Who am I calling specifically?" 

"Washu, could you please reach Azaka or Kamedake on Jurai for us?"

Washu glanced down at Sasami's pleading eyes. *How can I say no to that face...?* "Well sure I can, I'll call them right away."

"Actually Washu, I would like to hold off on that. We still need to ask for Lord Tenchi's permission... since it is his home."

"Sure thing. Just say the word when you need it." Washu closed her computer and started walking down the hill with Mihoshi and Kiyone, who where too distracted about there next meal than to hear their plans for the new guests.

"Well Sasami, lets get going." Aeka called to her sister.

Sasami beamed at Aeka and walked toward the Masaki home, at the bottom of the hill.

Inside his home, Tenchi sat down with Ryoko on the couch. Ryoko tried to make conversation. "So, what do you plan on doing now?"

"How do you mean?" Tenchi asked curiously.

"I mean about everything. What are you going to do for a living?"

"I never really gave it any thought, you know..."

Ryoko picked up Tenchi's sketchpad from the living room table. "Did you ever consider being an artist?" She started flipping through the pages, at each glance she winced in pain at Tenchi's attempted artwork. "Well... flipping burgers is always fun too."

"Thanks a lot." Tenchi pulled the pad out of Ryoko's hands. "Well, I really enjoy this land, maybe I'll become a priest like grandpa."

"I see."

"Well, how about you?"

"ME?" Ryoko was almost shocked at the question.

"Yeah, aren't you going to work? It seems to boring around here with nothing to do."

"Well, the only thing I was good at I gave up a long time ago. Besides, I won't get bored as long as I get to be with you."

Tenchi smiled warmly into Ryoko's equally glowing gaze. As he drew her face in for a first kiss his heartbeat quickened to the coming moment, but suddenly Sasami appeared out of nowhere and bounced on the couch, right in between Ryoko and Tenchi. "Yeah! I did it!"

"Did what?" Tenchi said, slightly disappointed.

"I won the race to the house!" Her smile then faded. "But I don't think anyone knew that I was racing them..." Tenchi and Ryoko giggled softly.

"Sasami, why on earth did you run from me like that?" Aeka asked bewildered, while walking into the house. Tenchi and Ryoko tried to hide their amusement in wide smiles.

"Aeka, I told you I wanted to race you, didn't you hear me?"

"No, I believe I did not..." Aeka grumbled. She walked into the kitchen to try and hide her red face, but before she entered, she stopped and turned to Sasami. "Sasami, wasn't there something that you wanted to ask Tenchi?"

"Oh yeah!" Sasami's face lit up yet again.

"What is it Sasami?"

"Hey Tenchi, would it be ok if Azaka and Kamedake came over to visit? I mean, if its all right with you, I don't want to impose..."

"Hey Sasami, it's perfectly alright. It would be great to see those guys again."

Sasami whooped in joy and gave Tenchi a big huge. "Oh Tenchi your he greatest!" She then jumped down off the couch and ran into the kitchen. "Did you hear that Aeka? He said yes!"

Just as Sasami exited, Washu entered catching the end of her celebrating march. "Well, it looks like I'll be calling those two old-fogies after all." Washu entered the kitchen to join Sasami and Aeka.

Sasami caught an eye of Washu and quickly rushed up to her. "Oh hi miss Washu. Guess what! Tenchi said yes. Can you call Azaka and Kamedake now? Please?"

"Sure thing kiddo." Washu turned to Aeka and activated her holo computer. "So, how do you want me to handle this Aeka?"

"Well, a standard broadcast will do. I'll give you the frequency for royal messages." Aeka took a pen in hand and jotted down the numbers for Washu.

"Okay-dokay. It'll only be a second." She wasn't kidding too. With lightning fast speed her hands flew over the keyboard with perfect accuracy. 3.52 seconds later, a connection was being made. Washu rotated the screen to face Aeka; she was really looking forward to seeing the old guardians of Jurai.

The screen flickered for a short moment before clearing to reveal a young woman suited in a Jurain uniform. She was absolutely shocked to find the face of the first crown princess looking back at her.

"Oh, Princess Aeka! I had no idea that you were the sender of this transmission... I..."

"No need for any worries ma'am. My business is very casual and no formalities are needed." Aeka reassured her, and then continued. "I wish to speak with Azaka and Kamedake. Can you arrange a comlink?" Aeka glanced away for a moment to shoot a glare at Sasami, who was rudely looking over her shoulder in curiosity.

"Yes your highness, I will call them right away and they will respond as soon as possible."

"Thank you." The image faded for a very short period as the knights were summoned to the nearest comlink station. After a short pause, the two knights were standing before Aeka on the screen.

"Hello Princess Aeka." They said in unison.

"Azaka, Kamedake, its so good to see you two again." Aeka smiled at the comfortable image of there presence.

"I am glad to see you too Aeka, in fact your contacting us couldn't come at a better time." Azaka said. There was urgency imbedded in his voice.

Aeka became distracted by his worry. "Whatever do you mean? What do you need to discuss with me?"

"It's not necessarily something that needs to be discussed, more like something that requires your presence." Kamedake continued.

Aeka became quickly concerned. "What has happened? Please tell me."

"It's nothing to drastic Princess Aeka. It's just that you've been gone from Jurai for so long now... The public is beginning to worry about your well being." Kamedake said.

"Yes, on top of that, there are many high ranking officials that believe the Jurain government is losing stability by having their first Princess gone from the capitol for so long."

It was beginning to make sense to Aeka. "So, the people want a figure head to look up to."

"To be so blunt, yes." Kamedake said with disapproval. "The people of Jurai don't intend such crude forms of leadership, but as a population, they strive for someone to look to. That's just how it is."

Sasami couldn't listen any longer. "We can't go back! Everyone we know lives on earth. All our friends..."

The two knights sympathized for the little princess, but Aeka didn't allow them. "Don't think like that Sasami. Were the leaders of the Jurain Empire and we are at the whim of the people... it's so sad that we must leave this place though." Aeka didn't show it, but frustration was burning through her. After everything they had done to bring peace into their lives, it was all beginning to slip away.

Azaka tried to brainstorm ideas for Aeka. "Well... I think the main concern the public has is that they consider your stay on Earth as a holiday, A ruler constantly on vacation is not a good thing. If you were to somehow serve the government you could remain on Earth and still please the Juraian population."

"Yes, but what could I do from here? Earth is so far away from everything." Aeka didn't have faith that Azaka's idea was going to work.

"But Aeka, I don't want to go back to Jurai. Its so nice here, c'mon Aeka, we can stay can't we?" Sasami was sounding desperate.

Meanwhile, Washu was listening to all of this with a very tuned ear. As soon as Azaka mentioned serving Jurai on Earth, she popped up another laptop and her fingers started to fly, looking for the desired information. After finding what she was looking for, an idea formed in her genius mind. "I know what you can do."

Everyone turned to Washu. "What's that?"

"Aeka can be the head of Earth's first alien embassy!" The little scientist squealed with joy.

"Washu, that could never work. Earth is much to under-developed, both technologically and socially. Putting an embassy here would be a waste of recourses." Aeka was really losing all hope.

"I just pulled up this data about Earth's technological history, it says here that these underdeveloped Earthlings moved from the Industrial Age to the Information Age in under one hundred years." Washu eyes never strayed from the screen.

Aeka couldn't believe it. "That's impossible. No civilization has ever evolved that quickly. The youngest recorded species with an information based economy is 50 million years old (galactic years)"

"Would I lie? Not only that but their rate of technological increase raises exponentially. I think it would be wise to keep an eye on these Earthlings, their technology increases more than their social maturity. Who knows what weapon they may produce and annihilate themselves with..."

Washu's argument was very convincing, and the knights Azaka and Kamedake were more than happy to go along with it. "That settles it then," said Azaka.

"But!" Aeka pleaded while being left out.

"You will remain on Earth until we can process the information and announce what your plan is to the public."

"But!" 

Kamedake picked up where he left off. "It will take about two years before we can make appropriate arrangements for the ceremony, most officials will be booked until then."

"BUT!" Aeka didn't know what to say, she felt like she was cheating the system.

"YAY! We get to stay on Earth after all!" Sasami jumped with joy. As Aeka looked onto the simple expression of happiness on her sister's face her worries melted away and it all seemed worth it.

"Yes Sasami, we can stay."

  


Tenchi remembered when Aeka told him her plan. He was quite startled, but he wasn't going to stop her, after all, this is what she wanted and Tenchi wasn't in the right position to say no. But when he first heard Aeka mention the ceremony is when he started to worry. He knew Jurain ceremonies were an important part of their culture, but he didn't know that they would be so brutal. Why did she have to invite every single military leader in the entire Jurain fleet? They all wanted to meat the man who beat Kagato. They would all pat him on the back, shake hands with him, see how many pushes up he can do...

Tenchi finally looked around the room he had ducked his way into. It was Aeka's bedroom! "Whoops, I shouldn't be in here..."

"Oh I don't mind Tenchi." Aeka's voice came out from the darkness.

"Aeka? I am so sorry. I guess I was just so desperate to get away from the party I didn't see where I was going."

"To tell you the truth, that's why I came in here too."

"Heh, I didn't know Jurai parties where something you would have to train for." Tenchi chuckled.

"Yes, we are serious partiers." Aeka laughed a little at the remark.

"How long will this last?"

"It should be over soon, how much Sake do we have left?"

"Not much."

"Yep, should be ending any time now." They both let out a small laugh again.

"Well miss 'lady of the hour' are you ready to brave the fronts again?"

"Not yet, I think I'll wait a little longer before making another appearance... once party members start to leave would be a good time."

"Okay. You know where I'll be." Tenchi opened the door just a crack before he heard a shout come from across the room.

"TENHI?! PRINCE TENCHI?! How is the 'man of Jurai'?" A hand shot through and literately dragged Tenchi out of the room.

"Good luck!" Aeka called to him as he left.

*You'll need it...*

  


Tenchi lay passed out on the couch. Ryoko was lying across him, also passed out. Sasami was fast asleep in her bed. Aeka was nodding off in the kitchen, completely exhausted. Everyone in the house was dead tired from the surprisingly intense party last night. Everyone fell victim to the ceremony except Nobuyuki, who had worked extra late just to avoid the occasion.

The bright and cheerful Nobuyuki entered the room and started trying to wake everyone up. "HEY, HEY, HEY EVERYON!! Is that anyway to go about running Earth's first embassy?" Nobody answered. "C'mon Tenchi, you can't lazy about the whole day!"

Tenchi pulled a pillow up over his head.

"It's a beautiful morning! You had better get up or nothing will get done." Nobuyuki's voice beamed with cheerfulness.

Nobuyuki noticed Sasami at the top of the stairs, still in her nightgown.

"SASAMI! Just the person I need. I'm starving, I haven't had breakfast yet and I'm almost late for work."

"I can't cook today, I'm to tired..."

"Oh please Sasami! I need food in order to operate!"

"I need rest in order to cook."

Nobuyuki shrugged his shoulders and walked into the kitchen in an attempt to whip something to eat for himself. He found Princess Aeka sleeping at the table.

"Aeka... Aeka... are you awake?" Nobuyuki poked her side.

"Huh what? Oh yes I'm awake."

"Wow, all of you guys really did get whipped out last night eh?"

"Yes..." Aeka groaned in the realization of her state of mind. "My fist real position in the Jurai Empire and I already need a vacation..." 

"Why don't you go on one then? Did I hear you right when you said that the embassy won't become official for another 3 months?"

A light bulb went off in Aeka head. *THAT'S RIGHT!!* Strength began to return to her as she stood up. "We are going to go on a vacation!!"

"Did I hear someone say vacation?" Ryoko beckoned from the living room. She soon teleported in with a half-asleep Tenchi. "Did you catch that Tenchi? Were going to take a vacation! It'll be so fun!"

"Boy, you sure do have selective energy reserves." Tenchi grumbled.

"Hey, I use em when I want to..."

Aeka was also getting excited about the idea. "Yeah, this is definitely going to be fun. I think it's been much too long since our last one."

"Alright it's settled, we're all going on a vacation to relax and have fun. But where?" Ryoko asked.

"How about some place off planet? We haven't been in space in a long time, and with my new job I don't think I'll being going out very often." Aeka tried to reason.

"Space? Well... I guess that's okay..." Ryoko voice faltered a bit but Aeka didn't notice. Tenchi did though.

"What's wrong with space Ryoko? Didn't you used to live there?" Tenchi inquired.

"No, no, nothing important. A resort in space will be much more fun than one on Earth, we should go there." Ryoko reassured.

As Tenchi gathered everyone to tell the good news to the rest of the house members, Aeka began planning the specifics of the vacation. Meanwhile, Ryoko slipped out the back and wondered about her return to space.

  
Written by ILR Send all comments, questions, and complaints to [omniguy2000@hotmail.com][1]

   [1]: mailto:omniguy2000@hotmail.com



	2. Dark

Tenchi Muyo! or any of it's characters are not mine and I am not claiming them to be. They belong to AIC/Pioneer. Bla bla bla... just don't sue me... I have to money to take -_-;;  
  
  
Koi Mizu  
  
  
Chapter 2: Dark  
  
  
The room had an awful stench to it that rank like the customers that sat at the tables. It was a dry and sticky atmosphere that seemed to intensify rancid images of the filthy and vile countertops. It was practically pitch black except for an eerie yellow florescent light that flickered through its dying moments. It was a bar for those who didn't want to be found. It was a bar for those who were looking for trouble. It was a bar that served every alcohol drink illegal anywhere else in the galaxy. It was a bar perfect for her.  
  
A tall slender woman stood at the frame of the bar to survey the scene. Her long flowing cloak covered her piercing red eyes that glanced over the play of drunken bums, arm wrestling punks, and loose women. A setting that would most likely scare away any other human being seemed all the more inviting to her.   
  
As the bounty hunter made her way across the floor, the room seemed to darken a small amount due to the presence of her alone. She sat down at the bar and signaled the keeper.  
  
"What will you have lady?" The old bar tender said.  
  
"Anything with a lot of alcohol." Replied the woman.  
  
The old man paused for a second to chuckle at her. "Look lady, I can serve drinks here that will kill you in ten seconds flat. Now, what will it be?"  
  
The woman scowled as if her intelligence had just been insulted. She glared up at him from under the cloak. Upon seeing her evil gaze the keeper almost dropped the glass in his hand. "You heard what I said."  
  
"Yes ma'am." The old man quickly began working on his most potent drink. He poured the most unattractive of liquids into a glass and set it in front of the woman. The end result was a blend of browns and blacks; and thick green globs bounced their way around in the goo.  
  
The woman reached forward, picked up the glass, and took a sip. "Not bad." She set the glass back down and removed the hood over her head in an attempt to get a better view of all her sides. Nobody could be too careful in a place like this.  
  
It was then, after she removed the hood, that she saw the faint yellow glow in full spectra.  
  
"Ugh, what a horrible color." She thought aloud. She didn't always think that though. She couldn't help but remember a time when yellow was a much more pleasant color. These were the days when Nagi, the Bounty Hunter, was a young girl.  
  
  
  
- ----------- -  
  
  
  
A small girl with silver short hair ran happily along the carnival street, much faster than her parents, who were struggling to keep up.  
  
"C'mon c'mon, FASTER FASTER! It's over here!!" The young girl shouted wildly.  
  
"Nagi dear, slow down!" A tall woman with blue tinted hair called after her. She was jogging briskly hand in hand with an equally tall man, whose kind ruby eyes matched those of his daughter.  
  
The small girl buzzed around the corner quickly out of view of her parents.  
  
"Oh my... Kazle, will you catch her?"  
  
"I'll get her." Kazle picked up the pace in his jog slightly to round the corner. He didn't trek far out of site before finding his daughter standing in awe at the amazing image of the game booth.  
  
"There you are. What has gotten you so excited?" Her father asked. The small girl pointed madly with both hands at large yellow stuffed animals with long ears and nose. The yellow creatures were situated behind the booth. "I get it, you want one of those things right?" Nagi beamed as she nodded towards her father.  
  
Just then, Nagi's mother turned the corner. "So is everything all right?" She said with a basic motherly tone.  
  
"Nothing's wrong Margel, Nagi here just got a little over excited."  
  
"Oh Mommy can I get the fuzzy thing? PLEASE!?" She started jumping up and down in place.  
  
"Well it seems alright to me." She patted her daughter on the head and glanced over to Kazle.  
  
"I don't have a problem with it. I just hope you win the game." He smiled down on Nagi.  
  
"Game? I thought we just had to buy one..." Disappointment rang in her voice.  
  
"No I'm sorry. You have to win a game to get those toys." Kazle said.  
  
A sudden flash of determination shot through miniature Nagi. "I know what I can do. I'll just win the game. I know I can do it!"  
  
"Well I don't know, those games can be pretty tricky sometimes and-"  
  
"I CAN IT!" She shouted with determination. "I CAN I CAN I CAN I CAN!!"  
  
"Alright, alright. We believe you." Nagi's father handed her a small token, which was being used at that carnival for all the games and rides. "Here you go. Good luck!"  
  
"Thank you, and I won't need any luck!" Nagi said running off towards the booth.  
  
After she was out of earshot, Margel made her comment. "Well, she certainly is stubborn, that's for sure."  
  
"Yes, but that also comes with determination, which isn't really a bad thing." Kazle replied.  
  
There was a short silence before Margel started up the conversation anew. "So, what are we going to do about those real estate vultures? You know they aren't going to stop bugging us until we sell."  
  
"We could always try offering them a deal..."  
  
"You know that's not going to work. They said specifically that they wanted the whole 10,000 acres. Nothing more and nothing less."  
  
Kazle sighed at the facts that he already knew. "It's all so stupid. All they want is our land for a big deal they have with a chemical productions company. Well, I guess were just going to have to ride this out. They don't have any legal grounds as to kick us out of our home."  
  
"What if they use 'other' forms of persuasion?"  
  
"I don't want to even think about that. The chairman of the company is STILL my friend from business academy prep school..."  
  
"You're right, I shouldn't have mentioned it." A silence crept up on them, holding them down for a moment.  
  
"How do you suppose Nagi is faring?" Margel asked.  
  
Kazle chucked a bit. "I can just see it now, Nagi will come back with nothing, crying her eyes out."  
  
Margel started laughing. "Oh, don't tease her!"  
  
"Hey, you laughed too!" The married couple only laughed harder.  
  
Suddenly the small girl Nagi appeared in the crowd carrying a large yellow stuffed creature, that was almost as big as she was.  
  
"I DID IT, I DID IT, I DID IT!" Nagi came bouncing across the opening carrying her prize with great care.  
  
Both parents stopped laughing immediately and glanced at each other suspiciously. Kazle then broke the silence. "Will good for you Nagi. I glad that you won."  
  
"We're both glad that you won." Margel cut in.  
  
Nagi beamed happily as pride swelled within her for her amazing accomplishment.   
  
"Nagi, is there anywhere else you would like to go before we call it a night?" Nagi's mother asked.  
  
Nagi stuck her tongue out as if to concentrate hard. She pondered the many places to go and see. "Well, we haven't seen the Ferris Wheel yet."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea. Let's get moving." Nagi's father said, taking his daughter and wife's in hand.  
  
They started their trek to the large spinning wheel at the end of the carnival. But it wasn't long before Nagi's earlier excitement was beginning to take its toll on her. They were only halfway to their destination before Nagi stopped and pulled on her father's hand.  
  
"What is it Nagi?" Kazle asked.  
  
"Daddy, carry me, I feel tired."  
  
Kazle happily obligated as he hefted the small girl up over his shoulders like a baby. Margel took Nagi's prize plush toy in the same manner. As they continued at their steady pace, Nagi's eyelids became very heavy. By the time they finally reached the Ferris Wheel, she was fast asleep.  
  
The married couple took advantage of Nagi's fatigue to make a quick getaway and escape for an early bedtime. They departed the carnival to head back home.   
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Their home was well put away from the rest of the world. After the short tram ride, they had to take a bus out to the countryside. Even then, the only bus stop that came close to their home was a half-mile walk.  
  
The small family made their way towards the home in the woods. Nagi was now wide away, and very upset for having left early. "I don't understand why you couldn't have just waken me up!"  
  
"Nagi, don't complain. You know you would have just fallen asleep on the ride." Her father stated.  
  
"WOULD NOT!" Nagi shouted back.  
  
"WOULD SO!" Kazle teased her some more.  
  
Margel shot a glare at her husband. "Why don't you try acting your age?"  
  
"Aww fine..." He pouted.  
  
The group finally arrived at the front door of the house. Kazle reached for the door handle but found it surprisingly open. Upon further examination, he found the locking mechanism completely broken off. He looked worryingly as his wife.  
  
"Stay here with Nagi while I check it out."  
  
"Be careful, please." She said to him as he disappeared into the darkness.  
  
Nagi tried to follow but her mother stopped her quickly.  
  
"Mommy, let go. Why can't I go in?"  
  
"Just wait here, daddy has to check to see what's inside." Margel said while patting her on the head.  
  
Nagi didn't understand any of it, but she went along with it. She then realized something. "Hey mommy, do you have still have my stuffed animal?"  
  
"Yes, I have it right here. Try to be quiet now." She handed Nagi the yellow creature. Just as the toy was within her grasp, Nagi heard two short and loud sounds. One's that she has never heard before. They were so loud that they made her jump. Margel recognized the sound though. It was the sound of gas being released from a projectile weapon.  
  
At that moment Margel picked up her daughter and started to run down the hill to the brush south of the house...  
  
  
  
  
- -------------- -  
  
  
  
  
Clenching her glass of alcohol tightly Nagi forced the memories away. They were so painful to have and so difficult to keep away all at the same time. Once the thought was cleared from her mind she relaxed and took another gulp of her drink.  
  
She reached into her cloak and pulled out a rusty old gun from long ago. She held it tightly and protectively while she bowed her head in respect. *Don't worry Mom and Dad, I'm working so nothing else like that can ever happen again*. Having reminded herself why she was in such a dirty business she felt satisfied that she could actually make a difference. She put the gun away back in her cloak with a relieved smile. Feeling that she has wasted enough time, Nagi stood up and reached into her utility belt for a slip of paper.  
  
Upon finding it, she signaled the bartender once again and he walked over. "Hey, have you seen this woman?" She held up a picture of a woman with a long untamed main of cyan hair, hair that seemed to match perfectly with her mischievous yellow eyes.  
  
"No, I haven't seen her around." The old man plainly commented.  
  
Nagi threw a couple bills that featured the first crown princess of Jurai onto the counter. "That's for the drink, keep the change." Nagi swiftly departed just as quickly as she entered.  
  
Outside the bar Nagi found herself in a very blackened ally way. She glanced over towards the newspapers piled up in the corner and whistled. Out from underneath the papers came a white cat-like creature with red eyes. "C'mon Ken-ohki, back to the ship."  
  
Nagi made good time back to the upper levels of the city Brilocus. While Brilocus had all sorts of business opportunities, the city itself was completely filthy. Paper trash blew across the streets like flocks of birds and thick layers of grim seemed to cover everything. Nagi hated anything that wasn't clean. She always took sonic showers twice a day and she would be sure to take another one as soon as she got off this planet too. That was another reason why she was in such a hurry.  
  
She weaved her way in between the crowd swiftly and elegantly; her walk was so solid it was as if they were even there. Upon arriving at the spaceport she entered her authorization code at the security gate. It wasn't actually a specific code that was issued out to people who used their port. It was just the ship registration number along with the registration number of the pilot. That way security can make sure the ships leave with the same people who brought them here. From the automated teller machine she received a key card with her docking bay number printed on it. She entered the main service track and headed for the port where her new ship, the "Rhagenhiem" was housed.  
  
Nagi hated the ship. It was bulky and dull of color. But it was the only thing she could afford on such short notice. She would have used Ken-ohki naturally, but despite his amazing power, Ken-ohki was grounded because of reputation.   
  
Ever since the big rebellion on Jurai, Nagi had a lot of big hits when it comes to bounties. She hit some of the highest members of the most notorious mob groups in the galaxy. These groups are known for their ruthlessness, their connections, and their widespread influence. One of these mob groups controls almost all trading and docking industries in the galaxy. Once the gang leader found out that it was Nagi that iced his brother, he made sure that Ken-ohki would never be accepted at ANY port.  
  
Finding herself stranded from practically every civilized quadrant in the universe, Nagi was forced to 'buy' the identity of Petra Rhahiem and her ship.  
  
Nagi boarded the flat and edgy ship. It looked just as dull on the inside as it did on the outside. The ship did have its perks though. Nagi, for once, actually had living quarters. And there was also a brig, so that she can deliver live bounties. Lastly the ship contained a large cargo bay, which helped boast the idea that she was 'actually' a freighter pilot. Taking a seat at the console and running her hands along the outdated keypad, she ordered for take off, and autopilot initiated itself to leave the surface for planet orbit.  
  
As the ship revved its rusty engines and lifted off the ground, Nagi punched up Ryoko's service record on her database. Glaring at the image of her archrival sickened her every time, yet she always opened her file and read it whenever she was feeling board. Nagi never really did figure out why nor did she care.  
  
Nagi closed down the file as soon as the ship reached orbit. She glanced out down to the green planet from which she came.  
  
"Hmp, That reminds me." Nagi stood up and headed for the sonic showers.  
  
Nagi spent a long 15 minutes in the shower even though with its high technological molecular cleaning method only 5 minutes was really needed. She put herself in a robe and sat down in her quarters. The focus in her eyes began to fade as her thought deepened. She was concentrating hard on anyone she may know or 'know someone who would know' where Ryoko is and what she was doing. Ryoko just seemed to drop off the face of the galaxy ever since the incident on Jurai. She hasn't heard the slightest breeze about her.  
  
Finding her location was close to impossible, but this is exactly what she liked about her job so much. The hunt, it was thrilling for her to go chasing someone and they didn't even know she was coming. The surprised look on their face is priceless every time.  
  
"I'll get you Ryoko..." Nagi smiled widely as she planned her next destination.  
  



	3. Storm

Koi Mizu  
  
  
  
Chapter 3: Storm  
  
  
In the dark reaches of space, a large and bulky ship increased it throttle, in hopes to catch a much smaller and agile ship that it was chasing. The pilot of the sturdy ship, Rhagenhiem, was Nagi the Bounty Hunter. Her quiet lingering around bars and scum holes paid off. She overheard a group of suspicious looking men whisper how their former colleague, Ryoko, had been seen at a few very pricey resorts. *So... Ryoko has finally come back to space* Nagi thought as she activated the tractor beam around the smaller ship. *Now all I need to do is figure out where she is...*  
  
The sleeker ship, lacking raw engine power, was quickly pulled in. In the next moment, the ship powered down its engines, and a transmission came through to Nagi. It was a short and tubby man, with an equally short and a thick white beard. "It seems that your ship has bested mine in a suit of strength. I surrender and hope that you do not take my life from me." His voice was surprisingly calm.  
  
"Don't worry old man, I just want information." Nagi replied.  
  
"I am but merely a civil merchant. What tales could I possibly tell to satisfy someone of your nature?"  
  
Nagi tried hard to keep herself from laughing. "You've been through this before haven't you? Everyone knows that merchants always have the best information in the galaxy since they travel it so frequently."  
  
"I do not understand your logic, young one, I only have knowledge of the marketplace, nothing more." The old man kept a straight face the whole time.  
  
"Hmp! Well, I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way..." Nagi's attention went to the control panel as she accessed the transporter system in her ship. In an instant Nagi was materialized inboard the merchant's ship. From her position directly behind the man on the bridge, she swooped down on him before he could utter a sound. His face was pushed against the console almost knocking him unconscious.  
  
The man cried out. "Your strength surprises this old wanderer, young one."  
  
"Now are you going to help me? Or do I have to get rough?" Nagi scowled.  
  
"I will tell you what I know. But please do not bring harm to me if my knowledge does not meat your requirement."  
  
"Have you heard or seen anything about the ship Yagami or Ryo-ohki?"  
  
"I have never heard of such transports, now please, let this tired old man go."  
  
"Not so fast. I'll admit, it took me quite a while to find your sorry ass, I'm not leaving until I'm positive. How about we check your computer logs and sensor readings shall we?" Nagi said delightfully.  
  
One hand left her brace against the merchant to scan his console of past data. "Cease your actions now... I have been honest with you, there's no need for such measures."  
  
"If I find out you've been lying to me, I'll destroy you ship and let you float with the debris." Nagi spat out sharply.  
  
"Do please halt your actions young one." His voice then became very mused, as if he just remembered something. "There is a fair chance that I know the location of one particular craft."  
  
Nagi looked back at the man intensely. "Which ship did you see, and where did you see it?"  
  
"If I divulge my knowledge to you, will you promise to let me be?"  
  
Nagi slammed him against the console again with a loud crash. "Does is look like I'm giving you a choice? Now TELL ME!"  
  
"Alright, alright. I will tell you." He finally said in defeat. "A ship resembling a long red dragon was soaring among the stars of the Coralius sector not long ago."  
  
"The Yagami!" Nagi quickly saw through the man's strange riddles.  
  
"Now, young one, I have given you what you desired. Please release me." Nagi jumped up from her position loomed over the merchant and thought hard about this new information. *So, she's in the Yagami. That probably means Aeka and Sasami Jurai and those two GP cops are with her. I'm betting that *man* of hers is there too.*  
  
She turned away from the old man to stand in the center of the bridge where she transported in. Just before she disappeared, she spoke to him. "Thanks, you seem to know quite a bit. Maybe I'll see you again sometime." She vanished before he could respond.  
  
Back on her ship, Nagi pressed a few buttons on the ship's computer to release the smaller merchant craft. She watched as it quickly scuttled away into hyperspace. Nagi continued to turn over the same information in her mind; because Ryoko is traveling with them, they may try to help her if she gets into trouble. They all *think* that Ryoko really wants to be their friend while she really uses them behind their back. Ryoko alone is no problem, but the rest can be resourceful at times. Nagi needed to greatly consider how to trap her, without provoking the others, and the prefect place for Nagi to think hard is the sonic showers.  
  
"I need a shower anyway... I actually touched that dirty old man." Nagi shuddered at the thought of the merchant. She promptly headed for her quarters to remove every last bit of dirt she may have collected.  
  
  
- ------------------------------ -  
  
  
Sasami's excited eyes raced across the travel brochure of Coralius 2. "Wow Tenchi! It says here that their beach waters here are crystal clear. That's amazing!"  
  
"I can't wait to see it." Tenchi said while sitting in co-pilot seat of the Yagami. Kiyone was piloting, and Sasami was in between, spouting enough anticipation for the both of them.  
  
Just then Ryoko materialized next to Tenchi. "That's not the only thing Sasami, the restaurants here are great. And they serve just about every food you can think of, even Earth's food."  
  
Sasami looked back down at the brochure and flipped forward puzzling. "Wait a second Ryoko, how did you know that?"  
  
"I've been here before, trust me when I say this is a great place to go."  
  
"Oh really? When did you come here Ryoko?" Tenchi asked. Ryoko thought back to the time when everyone was together in the Yagami and they ran out of gas. It was up to her to go out in Ryo-Ohki and buy some food so nobody would starve. But instead of being responsible, she used the money to visit resorts, including this one. Sadly to say, it all ended with a bank robing and the Galaxy Police on their tail.  
  
Out of embarrassment of her selfish actions, Ryoko brushed it aside. "I came here once before I met you on Earth."  
  
"It's a good thing we have someone who has been to this place." Kiyone said. "Because the marketplace looks so big it would be very easy to get lost."  
  
"Just make sure Mihoshi doesn't get separated from us and we'll be okay." Ryoko chuckled.  
  
"Good idea." Kiyone replied, rolling her eyes. "I'm starting my decent, you and Sasami should strap yourselves in the back."  
  
"Sure thing, C'mon Sasami, let's go see what your sister is doing." Ryoko said on her way out of the cockpit.  
  
"Okay... WOW! They even have a roller coaster park here!" Sasami followed Ryoko out with her eyes still glued to the brochure.  
  
  
- ---------------------- -  
  
  
On the surface of the planet Coralius, Tenchi and the gang finally reached their hotel that they had reserved a room for. The hotel was a five-mile hike up hill through the city, past the gut-wrenching stench of the docks, past the shoulder to shoulder crowds, and past the circles and circles of complicated streets with similar names. Needless to say, when everyone reached the hotel counter, they were already for a vacation from their vacation.  
  
Tenchi dropped his heavy bags from his stiff hands; he almost collapsed on the front desk. "May I help you sir?" The man at the counter said very properly.  
  
"I have a reservation."  
  
"Name?"  
  
"Masaki." Tenchi replied and turned to everyone else loitering behind him. "Hey you guys, I couldn't get one big room like our last hotel, I had to split us up into three smaller rooms. So how are we going to divvy it up?"  
  
"I'm with Tenchi, no doubt about that." Ryoko smiled widely and through her arms around him.  
  
"I guess that puts me and Sasami in one room." Aeka said.  
  
"Yeah! Me and Kiyone in the last room!" Mihoshi cheered.  
  
"Oh great..." Kiyone groaned. "Hey Washu, what about you?"  
  
"Hmmm... Which of the three rooms am I going to take?" the pintsize scientist wondered.  
  
"Washu, don't you mean, 'Which of the two rooms?' Me and Tenchi are sharing a private room for our own purposes." Ryoko leaned over and kissed Tenchi lightly on the cheek. Tenchi's face went bright red as the obvious insinuation as to his and Ryoko's activities was laid before everyone.  
  
"Ahem!" Aeka cleared her throat loudly. "So Washu, what are you going to decide?"  
  
"Well... If I don't keep an eye on Kiyone, she might kill Mihoshi while no one is looking. I'm going with the Miho-Kiyo room."  
  
"Your keys sir." The clerk said interrupting.  
  
Tenchi took and pocketed the keys. "Okay, After that obstacle course getting up here, I think the first order of business is getting some sleep."  
  
"AGREED!" Everyone said in unison.  
  
  
- ----------------- -  
  
The dock for the planet Coralius was not much to look at. It basically was a large field of concrete that spread hundreds of yards across. The field was a oversized circle on the outskirts of the city and around the port was almost jail like walls that cut off vision to the inside. The field was cover with thousands of small ships, large ships, and ship of any type you can think of. If someone wasn't careful, they could lose themselves in the many rows of crafts.  
  
"Hey Dude! Check out that ship over there! That's a 4500 Thunderbird Pro with Photon flashers!" Said a rowdy kid, who was standing on a perch over the dock. The perch was in one of the many look out towers of the towering walls.  
  
"Yeah man, you don't see ships like that very often, these tourists must be rich mother fuckers!" Said the other kid while passing a bottle of alcohol to him. "And check that out over there. That's a GP cruiser if I ever saw one."  
  
"Shit man, your right! I didn't know those hippie goodie two shoe bastards took vacations."  
  
Before the other kid could add his joke to the comment, an old rigid ship creaked its' way into the port. "What the hell is that thing?"  
  
"Jeez, that piece of shit looks just about ready to fall apart."  
  
"No kidding... the owner is probably some- HOLY CRAP CHECK IT OUT!" The second kid pointed out a woman who emerged from the ship; she was wearing a dark cloak and skin tight body armor.  
  
"Whoa, check that woman out! Hot stuff."  
  
"Hell yeah man! What I would love to do to her! OUCH!" They continued their mindless rants until one of them called out to her.  
  
"Hey baby! Why don't you come up here and we'll show you around the city!"  
  
Nagi glance up at the two boys who were hitting on her crudely. "*Men.*" She sighed in annoyance and quickly walked away, ignoring the two oglers.  
  
  
Besides the sex deprived teenage boys; Nagi surveyed he dock for any activity. Her position on the ground cut off her view of most of the ships docked, so Nagi was forced trek across the port. *I bet those two boys had a good view...* Nagi considered finding a way to get up to their bluff over the dock, but she didn't want to give those guys the pleasure of her going up there.  
  
While on foot, she grumbled in irritation from having to jump from city to city just looking for the Yagami. She was lucky enough to know that Ryoko was on vacation. Coralius 2 was known for its resorts so she didn't bother checking the other planets in the system, but finding out which city she was in was a pain. Almost the entire planet was covered with theme parks and luxurious hot spots; Ryoko could have been in anyone of them. No matter how tedious and slow the process was, Nagi still smiled coldly at the thrill of hunting Ryoko down.  
  
Her thoughts were halted as the corner of her eye caught a flash of red glossy metal pass by. She stopped and looked up to check the ship. It was the Yagami. Nagi smiled at this small victory; it would only be a matter of time before it was all over... for good.  
  
She arrived at the side of the Yagami, standing in front of the door. *Now to find out what hotel they are staying at.* She examined the keypad that locked the door. She glanced around carefully to see if she had any audience watching her, when everything seemed safe, Nagi reached inside of her cloak and pulled out a small box. She fit the item perfectly over the keypad and clicked the activation button on the side. After a few moments and a couple beeping sounds, the door whooshed open, inviting Nagi into the empty ship.  
  
But *was* is empty? Nagi wasn't completely sure so she stepped light on her toes making no sounds at all. Nagi stalked her way through the corridors, heading to the bridge. Once she arrived there, she found the computer deactivated and the ship completely powered down except for the lights. Relieved that no one was around, she searched the cabin free from worry of getting caught. She checked the "glove compartments" of the pilot's chair, inside was a couple writing utensils, a Galaxy Police handbook, and a handful of other papers that were irrelevant to her. In the co-pilots seat she found a half-eaten cookie, a package of donuts, some Twinkies, and a fortune of potato chip wrappers. "Ugh! Who eats this junk?" Nagi looked up from the chairs and noticed a small folded piece of paper that was laid on the console. She picked it up and passively looked it over. On the front cover read the words "Coralius 2 Magic Tree Resort!" She quickly flipped through the brochure until, at the very end, she saw the posted room prices, contact numbers, and city location. It was as if a big red carpet was being laid before Nagi leading her right to Ryoko.  
  
"Jackpot!"  
  
  
- ----------------------- -  
  
Tenchi fidgeted with the key to his room as his heavy bags strained in his arms. "Aww man... how does this thing work?"  
  
"Here Tenchi, let me take that for you." Ryoko swooped up Tenchi's bags and phased through the door. Once second later the door opened up with Ryoko standing behind it.  
  
"Thanks Ryoko, I don't know what I would have done without you." He smiled widely.  
  
"Anything for you Tenchi." She smiled back and the two lovebirds exchanged a light kiss while walking into the room.  
  
"Aww, I thought we ordered one king size bed, not two singles," Ryoko said disappointedly.  
  
"It's not so bad Ryoko, we'll just push these two beds together." Tenchi replied reassuringly.  
  
"That's a good idea Tenchi." Ryoko said walking over to the far side of the second bed. Tenchi positioned himself on the near side of the fist bed. And with one big shove, the beds were combined into one.  
  
"We're lucky these things have wheels, or it may have been a little difficult." Tenchi observed.  
  
Ryoko sat down on the enlarged bed and sighed heavily. "Oh boy am I tired. I think I'll just hit the sack." She sprawled herself lazily across the mattress.  
  
"Good idea, even though it's the middle of the day, I'm ready to go to bed." Tenchi said while walking over to his and Ryoko's luggage. He unzipped them and tossed Ryoko her nightgown while he pulled out his bed time apparel.  
  
Before long they were both dressed for sleep. Ryoko floated over to Tenchi's side of the bed and wrapped her arms around him. "Tenchi, I just want to say this has been the best vacation ever!"  
  
"It's been great for me too Ryoko." He smiled and gave her a light kiss. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too Tenchi." The exhausted couple sunk into bed and wrapped themselves up in the covers, and each other's arms.  
  
  
- ------------------- -  
  
In the Miho-Kiyo room, Kiyone sat in silence, sipping the tea she fixed for herself, while Mihoshi slept soundly in her bed. Just as She was getting board sitting alone, Washu entered the room.  
  
"So how is Aeka and Sasami?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"Oh, they're already asleep."  
  
Kiyone glanced over to Mihoshi. "It seems that everyone fell asleep except us."  
  
"Well, you know us two, I'm used to sleepless nights in the lab, and you have most will power I ever seen in anyone." Kiyone nodded and took a sip of her tea.  
  
"Yeah, I'll need will power to keep myself from pushing Mihoshi off a cliff."  
  
Washu let out a laugh, until she heard the seriousness in Kiyone's voice. She abruptly stopped and fell into an awkward silence eyeing Kiyone suspiciously.  
  
"Anyway..." Kiyone went on. "I'm surprised at how down beat our vacation has been going."  
  
"Yeah I know what you mean, two crown princesses, a prince and an EX-Space Pirate. I'm surprised the only publicity we saw was when Aeka was asked for an autograph on Sentinel 3."  
  
"Yeah, but that ended up turning out pretty ugly. When the guy found out that Aeka and Sasami were on a vacation, he became really mad for some reason." Kiyone puzzled this.  
  
Washu rolled her eyes. "Oh... THAT. I don't think I ever explained that part to you."  
  
Kiyone brought the cup up again, but paused. "No, I don't think you did..."  
  
"Most people in the galaxy are fearing that Aeka doesn't serve Jurai in a way the Princess *should* serve an Empire."  
  
Kiyone set her tea down loudly. "That's bull shit. What about when she helped save Tenchi, twice! Don't they care about the prince?"  
  
Washu signed. "Officially, no report to the public has been made about those incidents. They didn't really know what she was doing on Earth and that made a lot of people uneasy. On top of that, the Jurai Royal Counsel is beginning to loose faith on Princess Aeka's ability to lead. There was talk that they may even go as far as appointing a 'temporary' King."  
  
Kiyone Gasped. "You mean, another rebellion!"  
  
"Yes, that's exactly it."  
  
Kiyone nervously picked up her tea again and took another sip. She actually was beginning to feel sorry for enjoying herself so much, when there is a possibility for another rebellions she didn't feel right just sitting by on some vacation.   
  
"And what about you Kiyone?" Washu said breaking the silence. "How's the new Chief Marshal doing?"  
  
"Uh, the new job is a dream. And since I'm the boss, I have to power to personally overlook any case I want. Like the time we had to fight Kain, and save Tenchi from Haruna's world."  
  
"Sounds great." Washu then stood up and stretched with a great big yawn. "Well, I think I'll go to bed anyway. I could stay up but then I wouldn't be able to keep up with everyone else."  
  
"Good idea. I'm going to bed too." Kiyone said hoping she could get her mind off of things and begin to enjoy herself again.  
  
  
- ---------------------------------- -  
  
  
  
Ryoko, who was snug in her bed, gradually blinked awaked. She let out a quiet yawn and turned on her side. The room was very dark since they had slept into the night. Tenchi lay next to her; his expression was almost comatose. Feeling much more rested than before, Ryoko decided to lay awake in bed, the way she used to do when she first landed on Earth. Ryoko signed contently as she listened to Tenchi breathing. But another sound soon interrupted the peace.  
  
"Glrmlglrmlgrl" Ryoko's stomach waned with hunger.  
  
*Oh man! I need something to eat* Ryoko quietly phased through the covers and immediately dressed herself in something casual; a red tank top and jean shorts. She exited the room and drifted down the hallways looking for the hotel snack bar.  
  
Upon reaching the end of the hall Ryoko looked around for anyway to get to the first floor. "Boy do they make these buildings complicated." Ryoko then snapped her fingers in realization. "I'll just teleport to the first floor, how easy!" Ryoko abruptly disappeared.  
  
In the center of the main lobby, which was a large wide-open space, Ryoko materialized. Because of the later hour, the crowd that was once there had greatly diminished, and her strange and sudden appearance drew some attention. "Don't mind me... just passing through." Ryoko nervously jetted towards the food bar that was attached to the main hall like a strip mall store.  
  
Once there, Ryoko took a long glance at the over extended menu. "Jeez, they sure do have a lot, maybe too much." Too much choice made it a little more difficult for her. When she decided on one thing, she quickly debated otherwise because she didn't want to miss out on the other meals. "Okay Ryoko, you can only get one..." Fed up with herself on her lack of making a reasonable choice, Ryoko she chose one dish arbitrarily.  
  
She finally approached the counter and placed her order. "One chicken tender meal."  
  
The burly man at the counter punched in keys on his register machine nodding. "One chicken tender meal, gotchya... I would be careful if I was you, miss. This Earth stuff can really stick to your ribs."  
  
Ryoko laughed lightly. "I'll keep it in mind."  
  
Ryoko turned around a leaned against the counter as she waited for her order. It was now that she realized that there were places to sit down and eat to the side of the snack bar that she couldn't see before. The chairs where completely empty except for a single person.  
  
Ryoko froze.  
  
The figure rose to her feat and practically glided across the floor. Once she was standing 5 feet from Ryoko, she lifted her hood to reveal her short, silver hair, and piercing red eyes.  
  
"Well well well Ryoko. Looks like we meet again." Nagi said in a unsettling calm voice.  
  
"Why can't you just leave me alone?" Ryoko gritted through her teeth.  
  
"Don't be so thick headed Ryoko, you and I have something to settle. No matter how long you avoid me, I'll always be here." A grin began to form on Nagi's face.  
  
"Why can't you just go on with life, Nagi? I've forgotten about everything, why can't you?"  
  
"Because you're the only one who has challenged my strength. You intrigue me, Ryoko, and I want to beat to prove that I am the strongest." Nagi's smile faded. "But I'm not sure about that anymore... Looks to me like you've been slacking. You might not be a challenge at all."  
  
"Then end this! There's no point in going on."  
  
"So... You do not accept my challenge?"  
  
"I do not accept." There was a long pause as Nagi stared coldly at the defiant Ryoko.  
  
The silence was broken when the man at the counter walked up again with two bags in hand. "Here's your food miss. Do you want me to bill this to your room?"  
  
More silence.  
  
"Hey miss... MISS! Do you want me to bill this to your room? Just tell me the room number."  
  
"She's staying in room 1421... on the fifteenth floor." Ryoko gasped sharply. Nagi continued. "Her friends are in rooms 1420 and 1422. Isn't that right Ryoko?"  
  
"How did you..."  
  
"...Know where you were?" Nagi finished. "You'd be surprised how weak minded males can be when it comes to a simple money bribe." Nagi gestured to the man at the check in counter. "He has all his guests on one big data base. Since you seem so unwilling to fight, I can only hope that nothing bad happens to them..." Nagi's thin smile darkened.  
  
Ryoko thought everything over quickly. She could try and fight Nagi but she'll most likely lose. And if she tried to run, Tenchi and the others were sleeping, and they wouldn't know what hit them. *Damned if you do and damned it you don't...*  
  
Ryoko was finally beginning to loseher nerve, she felt more and more trapped. "You... you... BITCH!"  
  
Nagi laughed loudly. "So, I'm finally able to get a reaction out of you. I'm glad you're taking me seriously."  
  
"Holding hostages? Threatening innocent people? What are you doing Nagi? Since when did you play so dirty?"  
  
"Fight fire with fire RYOKO!" Nagi shot back  
  
"I'm not like that anymore! I don't want to fight or steal. I just want to live my life out."  
  
"Oh I see. Little Miss Ryoko got her quirks from being a pirate, now she got board with it and wants to go home. Didn't you think you would be held responsible for what you did?"  
  
"I..."  
  
"It's much too late to turn back now! Face me Ryoko, or your friends suffer." Nagi lowered herself into a fighting stance, ready to pounce.  
  
"Whoa whoa!" The concession owner interrupted again. "If you ladies have something to settle, could ya please do it somewhere else?"  
  
Nagi just ignored him as her heart beat faster and faster. This was it; there's no way Ryoko can escape now. Pure adrenaline pumped through her faster than lightspeed. She was only moments away from making the finishing blow... This thought almost made her tremble.  
  
But instead of Ryoko making a stance of her own, she slowly turned to the counter, and picked up her food.  
  
"What are you doing?" Nagi said sharply.  
  
"Can I at least have my food? I already paid for it." Ryoko's casual movements put Nagi slightly more at ease. She released her fighting stance and stood before Ryoko again.  
  
But just then, Nagi caught a sly grin come from Ryoko, and half a second later she shouted, "Hey Nagi, CATCH!" Ryoko whipped the bag swiftly at her. Nagi instinctively knocked it away, but when she looked where she used to be, Ryoko was gone.  
  
*From behind!*  
  
Nagi's faster reflexes allowed her to sidestepped Ryoko's jab with her newly drawn energy sword. She pulled out a small energy dagger of her own and parried Ryoko's blade. They settled back into a stand still as they stared each other down. "Very tricky Ryoko... but your going to have to do better than that!"  
  
"I'm just getting started!" She dashed at Nagi again. This time, just before they met, Ryoko vanished again. After a quick scan in all directions, Nagi couldn't find Ryoko anywhere.  
  
"Hiding Ryoko?!" Nagi shouted, making sure that she was heard. "That won't help your friends!" Ryoko reappeared in front of her across the main floor, beckoning Nagi with her defensive stance. Nagi charged at her like a bull and their blades clashed like lightning. Nagi made advancing swings on Ryoko pushing her further back. Ryoko's defensive swings seemed to keep up with Nagi, but just as she had cornered herself into a wall, Ryoko changed directions. This time she was backing into the doors of the Hotel.  
  
*She's trying to lead me out of the building*  
  
When Ryoko was finally pushed back to the doors, their blades locked in a tight face-off.  
  
"You surprise me Ryoko," Nagi said between their crossed weapons.  
  
"Yeah? And how's that?" Ryoko replied through her clamped teeth.  
  
"You have more fight in you than I thought, this might actually be fun." Just as she said this Nagi pulled out a second dagger that she had concealed in her cloak. She took a quick swipe at Ryoko who was still concentrating on pushing Nagi back. The blade cut deeply into the side of her right shoulder.  
  
"AAAHH!" Ryoko screamed out in pain and staggered backwards.  
  
"Maybe I spoke too soon." Her hand shot out and grabbed Ryoko's throat. "Come, let's go outside, I want everyone to see this." Nagi threw Ryoko out the doors and she stumbled clumsily just to stay on her feet.  
  
Nagi followed her through the door and saw Ryoko barely standing and clutching her shoulder in pain. "This isn't over yet Nagi!" She raised her sword and charged at Nagi, meeting in battle once again. The sight of them drew some onlookers, most tried to ignore what was happening, while one or two people actually fled the block in fear of getting involved.  
  
Having completely lost her edge, Ryoko's fighting ability was lower than it's ever been. Her movements were sloppy as she bared with the pain of her wound, and she could barely keep up with Nagi, who didn't look challenged by the bout.  
  
*Damnit! This isn't working!*  
  
Just as Nagi made another slash, Ryoko phased out again, and then reappeared on the next city block. From there she started running from Nagi.  
  
Nagi dashed after her. "So, she's run out of options..." Deciding to head in for the kill instead of threatening Ryoko's friends, Nagi picked up her pace as Ryoko rounded a blind corner.  
  
While Ryoko could easily phase through the few bystanders still on the street so late at night, Nagi had to shove her way past them. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!! OUT OF THE WAY OR I'LL CUT YOU DOWN!" Nagi yelled at the top of her lungs. The people quickly scattered in fear and a path to Ryoko was laid right before her. She sprinted at her top speed until the distance between them began to close. As the chase barreled on, they passed almost 14 city blocks, all of which was slanted downhill.  
  
*We're almost to the port...*  
  
As they drew nearer and nearer to the industrial spaceport, the people seen became few and far between. Ryoko rounded the last corner and finally reached the gates that were closed and locked for the night. She effortlessly phased through. Feeling that Nagi had been cut off she stopped to catch her breath. Ryoko looked back and saw Nagi standing on the other side of the fence.  
  
"That's a pretty clever trick Ryoko. You came all this way just because you knew that the only way in is through here."  
  
Still exhausted, Ryoko said, "I'm glad *gasp* that you like it."  
  
A notoriously wide smile spread itself across Nagi's face. "Well then Ryoko, why don't you finish your plan. Get in the Yagami and fly back to the hotel to get your friends."  
  
"I guess you have me all figured out. But even if you did, you still didn't get me. Good bye Nagi." Ryoko turned away and started to walk towards the Yagami. As she continued to walk, Ryoko waited for a reply from Nagi. She expected some sort of insult or empty threat from her. But surprisingly, none came. Ryoko looked back again, but Nagi wasn't there. Being slightly worried by this, she tried to pick up her pace. But she couldn't effectively jog due to her blood loss. Going deeper into the maze of ships, and further away from the lights that lined the perimeter of the port, Ryoko could barely see where she was going. On top of that, the whole place was abandoned, giving it a creepy atmosphere.  
  
"Ryoko..." quiet voice penetrated the silence like a shout.  
  
Ryoko whirled around; her eyes searched the darkness intensely. "How did you get in here?" She shouted back.  
  
"Just a neat little trick a couple of boys showed me a while ago." Nagi said, but her location was still unknown in the darkness. "Did you know there is an old fire escape that leads up to a bluff inside the port walls?" Nagi chuckled.  
  
"...Damnit, WHERE ARE YOU?" She looked around again, still too dark to see anything.  
  
"I'm right behind you." Her voice came again, this time it was much closer. Ryoko bared the pain and started to run the best she could around the ships trying to lose her. She finally pressed her back against a small sleek ship and crouched down. She tried to stay as low and quiet as possible.  
  
*She's hunting me.* A quick shot of fear flew through her. *Where is she? Is she close? Oh god what if she finds me?*  
  
"Hiding won't help you Ryoko."  
  
Ryoko struggled to her feet again and ran to a different ship three rows over. *Did I lose her?* Then Ryoko heard a noise through the darkness. It was the faint tapping sound of Nagi's footsteps. *Damnit! She's coming!* Ryoko picked herself up again and dashed away to another random ship. This time, she completely ducked under it and sat, listening for Nagi.  
  
The footsteps still came. Ryoko only sank lower behind the ship she was hiding under. *Maybe... if I just stay here... she won't find me.* Ryoko tried to convince herself. But as each footstep sounded, Ryoko couldn't help but to shiver in fear. *She's coming! She's coming! What am I supposed to do?* Finally her footsteps drew in so close that Ryoko could feel her just outside. And then they stopped.  
  
*Oh god! She found me* She pulled her legs and laid in the fetal position under the ship. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she whimpered helplessly. "Tenchi... Help me...I'm scared."   
  
"That man of yours can't help now Ryoko." Nagi said quietly and coldly. She bent down and reached under the ship for Ryoko. Once grabbing a strong hold of her arm, Nagi pulled with all her might, dragging Ryoko across the jagged concrete ground. Her legs and back now had large bloody scrapes from this.  
  
Nagi picked her up onto her feet and slammed her hard against the ship. A second later, Nagi pulled out a high power flashlight a shined a bright light into Ryoko's eyes, blinding her from everything around her. In this new light, Nagi realized something interesting.  
  
"Are you crying Ryoko?" She was amazed at the sight.  
  
Ryoko didn't even hear what she said, she was in too much pain. "Why are you doing this to me?" She said weakly.  
  
"I already told you why and I'm not going to explain it again. It all ends now Ryoko. I am going to kill you." Nagi reached inside her cloak and pulled out her energy dagger. She brought it up to Ryoko's throat... but then she hesitated. *This is it Nagi... it's finally over.* She thought to herself. *After all we've been through together, it's finally over...*  
  
Ryoko's eyes were fixed on Nagi. There was nothing left for her to do, so she just stood in pain as her killer came down on her. But then Nagi's eyes found hers, and they stared at each other.  
  
She was completely locked by Ryoko's eyes. Why couldn't she look away? Her golden yellow eyes froze Nagi like a hundred-year-old statue. Images came rushing to her of her child-hood nightmare. She couldn't concentrate on Ryoko anymore, Nagi could only think of the memory. "Why is this happening to me?" She gasped. Nagi staggered back almost dropping her dagger.  
  
Ryoko looked on completely puzzled. "What are you talking about?  
  
"NO! I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER ANYMORE!" She screamed. Nagi clamped her head with her hands and panted deeply. No matter how hard she tried to shove those memories away, they kept on invading. "Mom... Dad... you tried to protect me." A shivered covered Nagi's body as physical pain engulfed it. *It was all HIS fault! HE killed you just because someone PAYED him to do it*! Nagi flinched at the sudden realization. *Am I doing the same thing to Ryoko?*  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER ANYMORE!" Nagi armed her dagger again and made a deadly swipe at Ryoko. After her tensed arm relaxed and she looked to see where she had attack, Nagi pulled the blade out of the ship's hull, not Ryoko.  
  
"I missed?"  
  
Nagi's eye's locked with Ryoko's again and she made another dive. *CLANG* Her blade knocked roughly with the steel ship. "Damnit!"  
  
Never once glancing away from Ryoko, Nagi made a series of blows, all aimed for Ryoko, who was petrified with fear and confusion.  
  
"WHY" *CLANG*  
  
"CAN'T" *CLANG*  
  
"I" *CLANG*  
  
"KILL" *CLANG*  
  
"YOU?" *CLANG*  
  
Nagi turned away and fell to her knees, and Ryoko started to breathe again. Nagi's flashlight laid on the ground where she dropped it. It showered rays over her like a stage light. The darkness around her threatened to consume the light along with her. She was alone in her light, being judged, sitting nakedly confused and scared of her own actions, and the consequences.   
  
"Nagi." Ryoko finally said, breaking the long silence.  
  
"... Just leave me alone."  
  
Ryoko slid down the side of the ship until she lay on the ground. "I can't... I'm too weak to move."  
  
Nagi didn't even respond, she just sat in silence. *Why couldn't I do it? Have I really become so weak?* Only questions entered her mind. Does this mean that she won't ever kill Ryoko? Is the hunt over? What will she do now? That's right! Her whole life has been based on chasing Ryoko. If it's over now, what is she going to do? Nagi glanced over to Ryoko who was laying in the darkness. She wasn't moving.  
  
"Damnit!" Nagi quickly jumped to her feet and over to Ryoko. She checked her pulse and to see if she was breathing. Both of these were good. "She passed out."  
  
*Now what do I do? ...I'm so helpless*. Looking down and Ryoko's still body and noticing her blood flow from her shoulder wound, Nagi sighed heavily. She stood up, retrieved her flashlight, and picked up Ryoko over her shoulder. With a slow, yet steady pace, Nagi carried Ryoko to her ship. 


	4. Requiem

Tenchi Muyo! or any of it's characters are not mine and I am not claiming them to be. They belong to AIC/Pioneer. Bla bla bla... just don't sue me... I have to money to take -_-;;  
  
  
Koi Mizu  
  
  
  
Chapter 3: Requiem  
  
  
Ryoko could feel the hard and cold floor beneath here. Her whole body ached from having lain in the same position for god knows how long. She was in a sleep so deep that she wasn't aware of her sores. A sleep that she needed so that her body could heal. Suddenly, a single thought broke through to her.  
  
*Wake up Ryoko*  
  
Ryoko stirred just slightly. The change in positions fed more sensations to her mind, lifting it from its long coma.  
  
*Open your eyes Ryoko. Wake up*  
  
The thought came again, but Ryoko still wasn't able to receive it. Finally, it came in loud enough to wake her.  
  
*OPEN YOUR EYES RYOKO*  
  
Her eyes shot open and all she could see was a metal plated ceiling. She stared dumbfounded as if she had been awake for hours. With extreme effort, Ryoko sat up groaning in pain. Taking in her surroundings, she noticed a multitude of things. She was in a room shaped in an exact square. All four walls, ceiling, and floor were gray steel plated surfaces, except for a hose that extended out of the wall that was tipped with a wide funnel. The word "Toilet" was posted above it. She was no longer was wearing her old red tank top and shorts, she now had on a very thin robe that looked as if it was made of bed sheets. And most surprisingly of all, all of her wounds have been healed. Except for her shoulder, where a bandage covered the gash. It was amazingly bright in the room, even though the only light source was coming from the small window that was carved out of what appeared to be a door.  
  
*How is it so bright in here? Aww, don't worry about it*  
  
Ryoko painfully picked herself up onto her feet. She walked weakly towards the door like she was learning the technique over again; all she could see was more gray metal walls. Her vision was blinded as the hallway connected to her door turned out of site.  
  
"Hello?! Is anyone there?!" Ryoko yelled out. But no response came. "Hey! Who put me in here?! I want to know what's going on!" Her pleas where only answered with more silence. "Alright, that does it." Her already wire-thin patience had just been crossed. Ryoko leaned forward attempting to easily phase through the simple physical wall. But just as a bird hitting an invisible window, Ryoko was thrown back from the door with a life threatening electric shock.  
  
"The hell?" Ryoko coughed out while her hair smoked. "...Is that some kind of shield?" She strained her who body in a vein attempt to bring itself back on its feet but she quickly realized it was no use. It could be fatal to try the door again, and just getting up and walking over there would be a chore. She decided to attempt to figure out her situation.  
  
*Okay, lets try to think this through*  
  
The last thing Ryoko could remember was lying on the pavement, watching Nagi. Nothing from what happened during those last few moments of her consciousness made any sense to her. Nagi unable to make the finishing blow, her strange outburst where she mentioned her parents, and how Ryoko reawakened in bandages covering her body all seemed completely impossible. Her jail cell certainly didn't look like Ken-Ohki; and she had been out long enough for most of her wounds to heal. Who knows what happened while she was asleep, for all she knows Nagi could have turned her in to the GP and be half way across the other side of the galaxy by now. But having such experiences with authority figures like the Galaxy Police, Ryoko could guarantee that this room was no GP cell she's ever seen. Giving up hope on figuring out what's going on, Ryoko decided to just wait it out. Until her situation becomes clear, it would be a good idea to get as much rest as possible.  
  
*Wish I had something to sleep on. This hard floor is a drag* Ryoko rested her head on the metal floor. Relaxing herself with pleasant thoughts of her friends, Ryoko drifted off into another sleep, this time much lighter than before.  
  
  
- --------------- -  
  
  
Nagi sat on the floor in her room. Her living quarters were quite simple and modest, one futon in the corner of the rectangular room, and a medium size desk with computer built in sat next to it. One of the walls however, was a thick layer of clear titanium alloy running the length of the entire wall and stretching from the floor to the ceiling. Being able to see the wonders of space was one of the few features she liked about this ship. No lights where turned on, but enough light from the stars seeped in so that the features of the room were dimly boasted. Nagi was sitting on the futon leaning lazily against the wall wearing a white silk robe from her recent shower.   
  
Her thoughts kept bringing her back to the moment when her blade cut deeply into the ship, and not Ryoko. She felt so weak ever since then. She never realized how much she was at the mercy of her own memories. Not only was she not able to kill her enemy, but she showed mercy to her when she was fatally wounded. "What are you doing Nagi?" She thought aloud. Just then her cabbit Ken-Ohki entered and bounced his way over to her. "Hi Ken-Ohki." She said meekly.  
  
"Shoa shoa shoa shoa." Ken-Ohki said.  
  
"So, she's awake now?"  
  
"Shoa shoa."  
  
"I see." Nagi started to pet the small cabbit. After a moment, he pulled away from her hand. Nagi looked back at him questioningly.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Shoa shoa shoa shoa." His tone was serious.  
  
Nagi laughed. "What am I doing by bringing Ryoko with me, you ask? That's a good question. Frankly, I don't know." She laughed at herself. It was a small laugh that someone would normally make towards an ironic comment.  
  
"Shoa shoa shoa shoa shoa!"  
  
"I know I know!" She said annoyed. "I don't care about all that legal stuff. Right now I'm going to hold her so she can't cause anymore harm."  
  
"Shoa sho-"  
  
"I know what it says! But some stupid piece of paper doesn't mean anything to me. I'm going on my instincts here." There was a short pause while Nagi reached out and picked up Ken-Ohki to start petting him again. "All we need to worry about right now is getting the extra food rations for her."  
  
"Shoa."  
  
"Alright then, it's settled." She said nodding her head conclusively. Raising to her feet and stretching, Nagi said, "I'll go get some food, she's going to be hungry- and in pain. If I know Ryoko, she's probably already tested my shield."  
  
  
- ---------------- -  
  
  
Ryoko was suddenly thrown out of her sleep as a small metal *clang* sounded in front of her. Her eyes focused quickly and she realized that what appeared to be a food tray had been set next to the door on the inside of the cell. Ryoko looked up to see Nagi stepping back into the hallway and closing the large metallic door.   
  
"NAGI!" Ryoko jumped to her feet and ran to the door. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
Nagi stared at her for a few moments through the window. "Well, for starters you're in a cell." Nagi said offhandedly.  
  
"I already know that. I want to know what happened, how long has it been, and what ship or space station is this?"  
  
Nagi turned her back to Ryoko. "The situation is much more simple than your making it. It's been 2 weeks since you passed out and you're on my ship. That's all you need to know." Nagi started to walk down the hall.  
  
"Wait, come back! Where's Ken-Ohki? Why are you using a different ship? What's going to happen to me? WHY THE HELL AM I STILL ALIVE?!"  
  
"Eat your food Ryoko." Nagi disappeared out of site as she turned the corner.  
  
Ryoko picked up the food tray. "Aww damnit anyway." Ryoko sat down and started munching on the dry brownish gray food pieces. "What is this crap anyway?" Because of her extreme hunger, She bared with the bitter taste and quickly cleaned off the tray.  
  
She leaned down again and rested on the hard floor. But because her resting place didn't reshape itself like most beds and futons, her back began to aggravate her. She turned on her side. This wasn't any better since feminine hips made her sides sore. She flipped around onto her stomach, but the curves on her face didn't match the flat floor. Soon that hurt as well. Ryoko could probably sleep in the air or just get used to it. But she has something else on her mind when she suddenly had the idea to ask for a bed. She jumped back on her feet and walked to the door.  
  
"Hey Nagi! NAGI!"  
  
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?" Came the bounty hunter's voice from an unknown source.  
  
"Can I get something to sleep on here? The floor is rock hard!"  
  
"Oh jeez you're such a baby!" Nagi said, now appearing at the end of the hall.  
  
"Please? Pretty pretty pretty please?"  
  
Nagi fumed shaking her fist at her. "I've never met a bigger baby than you." She walked away, but her voice could still be heard. "Listen that! 'I want something to sleep on!' What a baby! Next it's going to be: 'I want something better to eat!' and then 'I want to get out of my cell.' and then 'I want to call Tenchi and tell him I love him'. What a big baby." She returned with a small sleeping bag rolled up in a small convenient size.  
  
Once she reached the door, Nagi shouted at her. "Hey, back away from the door and don't try anything!" With one hand Nagi unlocked the door and with another she braced her dagger. Then something very surprising happened. The mysterious lights in the room faded for a short period of time as Nagi dropped the sleeping bag into the room. Ryoko's eye's narrowed at this revelation.  
  
*I KNEW IT! There's no way Nagi could have just dropped that food off with the shield up. It may be invisible, but now I can tell when it's on and off.*  
  
"That's all your getting from here on out. I don't want to here you blubbering about anything else!" Nagi shut the door with a little extra push making a loud *thud* sound just to make her point clear.  
  
Ryoko picked up her new bed and examined it. Once her prize was safely secured, she no longer felt threatened by Nagi. "Go shove it Nagi!"  
  
"What was that?!" She turned around glaring at her.  
  
"Uh.. nothing at all."  
  
  
- ----------------------- -  
  
  
Nagi walked into the main cockpit and set down a package on the floor. She sat down in the pilot's chair to take a needed rest. The cockpit of the ship was an oval shaped room. On the upper half of the room, computer consoles lined the curved wall while complimented by view screens sitting above. Hallways extrude from the other half of the cockpit. The walkway opposite to the consoles leads to the storage hanger, the hallway to the left branches off to Ryoko's cell and Nagi's room, while the last hallway to the right leads to the exit hatch.  
  
Nagi pulled out an old rusty gun from her cloak and spun in around on her finger like a nervous habit. With the other hand she opened up the square box and pulled out a hollow cube frame. She set it down on the co-pilot's seat and examined it carefully to make sure nothing was damaged. In one of the corners of the cube, a socket connected to a thick gray wire that raveled itself around on the interior of the frame. Nagi allowed herself to smile as the electric twine carved a simple course, meeting with the necessary outlets to perform the object's duty. But then she frowned. The wire split open to reveal several new cables to follow. Each one had it's own color red, blue, white, black... and yellow. Nagi began to loose sight of the purpose of each wire as they twisted amongst themselves randomly and dipped completely out of view behind circuit breakers and gearboxes. Frustrated, yanked at her own hair. "AARGG! I'll just assume it's working. And who cares if it isn't?"  
  
Setting the gun down on the console and punching a few keys in the computer, she checked the ship's status. "Now, where in this ship can I install this thing?" She thought aloud. The computer returned her the location of where she could input this troubled device. Her face paled slightly. It was behind the corridor wall in the hallway that connected to Ryoko's cell.  
  
She still hasn't accustomed herself to having someone else around all the time when she's been alone for so long. So instead of getting used to having Ryoko around, she avoids the situation entirely. Not having seen Ryoko in the last three days and only giving her food when she's asleep has actually helped her feel more 'natural'. Besides, Nagi really didn't feel like chatting with Ryoko and she knows perfectly well that Ryoko is dying to have a round of 20 questions with Nagi. Ryoko always hated being in the dark.   
  
Suddenly Nagi remembered that it had been at least 5 hours since she last gave Ryoko something to eat. She stood up and headed down the hall to Ryoko's jail room. But just as she was going to turn the corner, Nagi stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"What the hell is that smell?!" Nagi ran down the hall with her nose plugged. She looked through the small window in the door and saw Ryoko who was sniffing the air and making ugly faces.  
  
"Long time no see Nagi. I know your so incredibly busy and all, but if I go any long without some sort of a shower, I could melt the metal walls with my stench alone."  
  
"Well, I guess I didn't take this into consideration." Nagi said in defeat.  
  
"It just goes to show you how unprepared you are." Ryoko snickered.  
  
"No, it shows that the level of body odor you can create is staggering."  
  
"Touché"  
  
Nagi thought for a moment. It wouldn't be long before her smell would drive her crazy. Figuring that she might as well come up with some short-term solution to this until she can compensate, she decided to just let Ryoko use the bath stall in her room.  
  
"Alright Ryoko, for now your going to bath in the shower stall in my room. I'm going to let you out just this once. And if you so much as sneeze in the wrong direct, I'll make you wish I had killed you." Nagi snarled wickedly.  
  
"Got it." Ryoko gulped.  
  
Nagi unlocked the door and the lights inside the room faded. Nagi stood to one side in the hallway and waited for Ryoko to pass. "This way... my room to your left at the end of the hallway."  
  
Ryoko started her way down the hallway but hesitated slightly to get an eyeful of her new surroundings. But Nagi was quick to keep her moving along. She shoved her so hard Ryoko nearly stumbled. "Jeez, I think I liked you better when I was in the cell."  
  
"Just keep moving."  
  
Ryoko entered her room and soon found the closet like bath stall. She pulled off her thin garment and tossed it aside. Nagi stood just outside the door when she hollered in, "I'll be standing guard here... and don't try any-"  
  
"-Anything funny. I know, I know." Ryoko cut her off. As she turned the faucets on and let the warm water pure over here, Ryoko wondered how to get Nagi to lighten up. It was pretty clear that they were going to spend some time together and she didn't want to spend it with a pushy, short-tempered woman.  
  
*I still wish I could figure out why the hell I'm here.*  
  
While grabbing the soap, Ryoko sighed and concluded that being civil with Nagi would be the best thing to do, despite the fact that they weren't the best of friends.  
  
"What do you do for fun around here?" Ryoko asked as politely as possible.  
  
There was a small pause as Nagi considered answering or not. *It is a pretty harmless question.* She thought. "There is a bar that I like to go to when ever I take a break from... 'work'."  
  
"So, most of your friends go there or something?"  
  
Nagi shrugged. "I guess so. The bar tender is nice to me, but he's not considered a friend."  
  
"What about anyone else?" Ryoko said sounding surprised.  
  
"It's usually just Ken-Ohki and me."  
  
"No way... you're a loner Nagi, but nobody is THAT much of a loner. There's gotta be someone that's in your life."  
  
"People only get in my way, there's no reason to have them around."  
  
"People are what make us live on. Friendships and love... you have to have those to experience life to it's fullest."  
  
"Whatever, just finish with your shower already."  
  
But Ryoko wasn't quite done yet. She still couldn't believe that Nagi really lived as she said she did. "Wait a second, what about your family? Don't you have a home?"  
  
Nagi froze, unsure of how to answer. But she soon realized that she didn't have to and took the defensive position. "Why are you suddenly so interested in me?" She snapped back. "Why don't YOU tell me about YOUR family?!"  
  
There was another pause. "Sure." She said offhandedly. "Well, first there's Aeka. She's the princess of Jurai, you may have heard of her. We used to fight a lot but now we get along pretty well. Then there's Sasami, Aeka's little sister. She's a cute little kid who can cook better than all of us combined. Then there is Mihoshi who may seem ditzy but she's really-"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I don't really care about those supposed 'friends' of yours. What about your family?"  
  
Ryoko tried to ignore the careless tone in her voice. "My biological family? Well that's different." Ryoko let out a heavy sigh. "I don't wont to disappoint you or anything, but I don't remember."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The first memory I have is living in an orphan home. I don't have any memory of my parents."  
  
"How lucky." Nagi said quietly.  
  
"You say something?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Anyway..." Ryoko continued, lathering her arms in soap. "All the kids there were a buncha punks. They kept on trying to walk all over me but I showed them! 'Ryoko the punk buster' is what they used to call me." She said proudly. "Eventually I became fed up with the jerks, added to the fact that the home stopped receiving money, and I split to live on my own."  
  
Ryoko finished rinsing off and turned off the water. "Sorry if it doesn't seem like a very interesting past, but that's what happened." Ryoko said as she slid her light thin robe back on.  
  
"But you forget," said Nagi now facing her, "sometimes an... 'interesting' past isn't a good thing."  
  
"That's true." Ryoko shrugged and headed back to her cell, noticing that Nagi wasn't pushing her along this time. Once she reached the door, she stopped and turned towards her. "Now it's your turn. I told you about my friends and family now you tell me about yours."  
  
Nagi stared at her for a few moments trying to form her response. The words would begin to build in her mouth but her fearful mind pushed them away. Keeping them deep in her bitter heart, safe from ever being exposed to anyone but herself. "Just... get in your cell." She said coldly.  
  
*Something is eating Nagi up inside* Ryoko thought, remembering how she screamed for her parents that one dark night. A mix between curiosity and her kind nature made her resolve to try and make peace with her enemy. "Why don't you just talk to me. Tell me about it, and maybe you'll feel better."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it. Get in your cell NOW!" She shoved Ryoko down to the floor inside and closed the door shut.  
  
"FINE! I was just trying to help, but if you want to wallow in your own misery then you can go right ahead and do that!"  
  
"You're not helping anyone! You're only a problem so why don't you just shut up and leave me alone before you make my life any harder!" She turned her back on Ryoko and stormed down the hall out of sight. A moment later she returned with a tray of dried food in hand. "And here's your stupid food!" She opened up the door and threw the tray on the floor, letting the small chunks of Ryoko's meal spread randomly across the entire floor.  
  
"Damnit, I've had just enough of you and your shitty dilemma and I'm tired of you taking it out on me." Ryoko shot back  
  
"Yeah? Well you deserve it! At one point, you even deserved to DIE! So shut the hell up!" Nagi quickly moved back into the cockpit out of Ryoko's site before she could muster a response. There, she began pacing back and forth trying to loose her anger. "Damn Ryoko, why can't she just mind her own fucking business? Why the hell didn't I just leave her to die on that worthless planet? There's no damn reason to bring her along; I should've just killed her! Why didn't I kill her? She's only a worthless trouble maker."  
  
Almost ready to pull her hair out with fury, Nagi suddenly caught a glimpse of her rusted old gun sitting on the console where she left it. She now remembered why she didn't kill her rival and her anger cooled slightly. She walked over and picked it up. Sitting down in the pilot's chair, she looked at the antique and vaguely wondered where she was going.  
  
"Shoa?" Ken-Ohki said, sitting on the console.  
  
"She's probably right... I am miserable."  
  
"Shoa shoa shoa."  
  
"No, I'm not going to go and talk to her." Nagi boiled again.  
  
"Shoa shoa"  
  
Nagi laughed lightly. "No, I'm not going to talk to you either. Just leave me alone, I'll be fine." Ken-Ohki shrugged and hopped off, leaving his master as she wished.  
  
Nagi's attention was drawn over to the box of gears and wires that gave her trouble earlier. She pointed the gun mockingly at the box and said, "My life is too complicated." She pulled the trigger and a loud rusty *CLICK* sounded. "Too bad this thing doesn't work anymore."  
  
  
- ------------------- -  
  
  
Weeks earlier, Tenchi awoke to find that his love, Ryoko, was missing...  
  
The silence in the room was deafening and welcome all at the same time as Tenchi sat on his hotel bed while looking at the floor hopelessly. When it was clear that Ryoko was no were to be seen the environment was quite loud and busy.  
  
"I just... can't figure out why she left." Tenchi said meekly.  
  
"It's not your fault Tenchi, there must be a logical explanation for this." Said Aeka, who was standing by Tenchi's side. And another silence fell back into the room. Time had been passing like that for the last hour, Tenchi would say it was his fault and Aeka would tell him it's not. She was definitely stretching her patience for him.  
  
A moment later, Kiyone and Miyoshi made a noisy entrance. "Did you find her?" Tenchi said standing up now.  
  
"No, we didn't." Kiyone didn't even look him in the eye.  
  
"I'm going to search the block one more time." Tenchi said walking out the door. But Aeka held him arm.  
  
"Please Lord Tenchi, you've already walked those same streets 3 times. She's not in this city anymore, she may not even be on this planet."  
  
"But I can't just sit by an-"  
  
"Aeka has a point." Said Washu from the hallway. "Has anyone checked the Yagami? She might have left the planet." Everyone stared at her for a moment as they all realized the last painfully important place they had yet to search. Without saying any words, they hurried out of the room and down the hall.  
  
"C'mon Sasami! We're leaving." Aeka called to her passing their room. Her little sister and cabbit on head was quick to follow along.  
  
"Where are we going sister? I thought we needed to find Ryoko." She said almost as a whimper.  
  
Aeka looked down to her with a smile. "We are! We just are looking where we parked the ship to make sure Ryoko didn't take it."  
  
"Oh okay." Her mood perked slightly.  
  
On the main the floor, the group gathered around the check in counter while Tenchi signed them out. And to his surprise, pay an unknown room service bill. "Room service? Did anyone order some chicken tenders?" Tenchi asked everyone.  
  
"Huh? What are those?" Washu asked.  
  
"I don't believe I did." Aeka stated.  
  
"Does this mean we're getting food?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"Just be quiet Mihoshi." Kiyone groaned.  
  
"I think I can make those if anyone wants em!" Sasami beamed, "but I didn't eat any."  
  
Tenchi shrugged. "I didn't order any either." He then turned to the clerk at the counter. "There must be some mistake, nobody had any food here."  
  
The clerk was about to dismiss him before Washu spoke up. "Tenchi, basic logic will tell us that if everyone here *didn't* order the meal, then someone who isn't here did. The chances are higher that the missing person ordered the food, rather than the hotel making a mistake."  
  
"Are you saying Ryoko ordered the meal."  
  
"That's pretty much what I'm saying." Washu smiled and winked in the genius type of way.  
  
"And how does this help us?"  
  
"I'm not sure... but if we start asking questions you never know what you might find out."  
  
"Good idea." A surge of hope entered Tenchi and everyone smiled. "Maybe we should split up."  
  
Everyone was about to act on this but the clerk spoke up. "Excuse me sir."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I couldn't help but to overhear you conversation, and I believe I may know something about the person you are looking for."  
  
"YOU DO?!" Tenchi's enthusiasm startled the polite man.  
  
"*Ahem*... Yes, I do. I heard there was a bit of a ruckus last night involving two women. But I didn't see it myself, the people who work during the night shift could help you."  
  
"So, there was a fight!" Tenchi thought for a moment. "Alright, change of plans everyone. We're all going to head down to the Yagami to see if it's still there. Washu, you stay here with our friend and see if you can get some names and addresses of the night shift, preferably the food vender guy."  
  
"Will do" Said Washu affirmatively.  
  
"C'mon everyone!"  
  
"RIGHT!" They all said in unison.  
  
Once they were gone Washu hopped lightly to the other side of the counter. "Please excuse me miss, but you can't be on this side of the counter."  
  
"Don't worry, I'm only interested in your computer. Now, is this thing hooked up to your head quarter's mainframe?"  
  
"Uh-... I wouldn't have the slightest clue."  
  
Washu typed in a few computer commands and a completely different screen popped up. "Ooh... Looks like it is!"  
  
"Hey, don't do that! I don't know how to get back to that other screen, how am I supposed to check the customers in?"  
  
"Don't worry, I'll get you back." She kept on typing while the clerk looked on nervously.  
  
"Hey, you wouldn't know the password to access the mainframe would you?"   
  
"Uh... I'm not sure..."  
  
"I'll take that as a no. Don't worry, I'm sure I can hack it no problem." Washu said with an almost evil grin.  
  
"Hack? I-Isn't that breaking the law?"  
  
Washu bit her lip. "The law is such a fragile thing... You see, it breaks easy."  
  
"Uhh... I'm not sure about this."  
  
"Don't worry, just tell them I forced you to do it."  
  
"Alright."  
  
- ------------------ -  
  
  
Back at the dock the whole group briskly walked towards the Yagami. As they reached the correct row, they saw the large red ship in the distance. "It's still there." Tenchi said, almost surprised.  
  
"It's a good thing too, that's my ship!" Kiyone said, almost angry.   
  
"Should we go and check it out?" Aeka asked.  
  
"Yeah." Tenchi replied. Everyone headed towards the ship in another brisk silent walk. Upon arriving, they all saw that the door was stuck open. "What the hell?" Tenchi exclaimed.  
  
"Someone broke into my ship!" NOW Kiyone was angry.  
  
"It's okay Kiyone. At least they didn't take the ship." Mihoshi tried and failed to cheer Kiyone up. When the entered the ship they expected to see everything in one big mess and totally trashed as whatever thieves broke in and searched for valuables. But to their great surprise, everything was in perfect condition, as if nobody had even been there at all.  
  
"Strange... What kind of robbers would break into a ship and leave everything alone?" Kiyone ask rhetorically.  
  
"Uh... the kind of robbers that robbed us?" Mihoshi answered and Kiyone just rolled her eyes at her.  
  
Sighing at the false alarm, Tenchi took a step towards the door. "I'm going to get some fresh air." Tenchi leaned against the ship and tried to let him mind take him away from her worries. He hated this feeling of helplessness that consumed him, almost making it difficult for him to breathe. *I hope your okay Ryoko...*  
  
"Damn, would you look at this? The cuts go 6 inches deep!" Tenchi turned as he overheard a man hunched over the ship next to Yagami.  
  
"No shit. Looks like there was a big fight, check out all the blood!" The second man said.  
  
"Man this pisses me off. I just bought this ship and now it has a buncha cuts all over it. What a waste!" The third, younger man said.  
  
Then Tenchi walked up and made himself the fourth. "Excuse me. But what seems to be the problem?"  
  
The third guy turned to him. "Someone hacked up my ship last night when they were killing whatever all this blood came from."  
  
Something in the back of Tenchi's mind began to scream at him, but his fear pushed it away. *No... It can't be Ryoko's blood, I wont believe it!* He started visibly shaking as the very thought was finally accepted into his head. And in an involuntary act, his eyes dropped to the ground and he stared at the bloodstain he was standing on.  
  
Then something finally clicked. His eyes followed as the blood lined below his feet and past him back the way he came. "It's a blood trail." He thought aloud.  
  
The first man noticed him. "Whoa, your right. Looks like it heads way down on the other end of the port. Whatever died was dragging itself up here."  
  
Tenchi turned to him with an angry expression as if to be offended. "HOW DO YOU KNOW IT'S DEAD?"  
  
"What?" The man was baffled.  
  
"Who's ever blood this is, how do you know that she's... I mean they're dead? They could still be alive! I JUST KNOW IT!"  
  
The second guy tried to cool him off. "Look man, we don't really know if something died or not, that's for the GP to decide."  
  
Tenchi stared blankly at the three men suspiciously eyeing him while he just realized his outburst. "Uh... sorry, I'm going through a rough time." Tenchi made an exit so he wouldn't embarrass himself any further. He walked back to the Yagami, and while standing in the doorway, his eyes were caught on the blood trail that led to the port exit. Curiosity finally killed his will power and he started to trek across the ship parking lot, looking for the blood trail's origin.  
  
Tenchi reached the port entrance and was surprised to see it lead down the street. Although it was difficult to make out under the crowd he still effectively followed it. After following the trail blindly for several blocks, Tenchi decided to try and look to see where he was so that he wouldn't get lost. Suddenly something occurred to him. *I'm heading back towards the hotel!* His pace increased slightly as he continued the trail. At each block he prayed that it would turn a corner and lead a path other than the one back to where Ryoko was last seen. But when the trail kept stubbornly barreling forward Tenchi began to shake with fear. He closed is his eyes and in the darkness all he could see was the glowing blood below him, lighting his way towards the fate of his loved one. In the void of his mind he could see images of his love, and they seemed to grow fainter with each step he took. Finally, the trail died. Ending abruptly and plainly. Tenchi opened his eyes to see the hotel doors in front of him. He dropped to his knees. "No... It can't be."  
  
"Tenchi, what are you doing back here?" Tenchi didn't even take notice to Washu who just walked out the doors. "I have some really bad news Tenchi, I found someone who saw the whole thing. Tenchi... Tenchi are you listening?"  
  
"Look down Washu" His voice was barely audible.  
  
"What are you doing? Get off your kn-" Washu cut herself off as she looked down, and saw the blood that Tenchi knelt over. "Tenchi, there's no way to know if that's Ryoko's."  
  
"There's a trail... it leads all the way back to the Yagami... She was trying to run from someone, I just know it."  
  
A cold chill swept over Washu in the blistering heat of the day. She soon dropped to her knees along with Tenchi and hugged him tightly. "I think I know what happened Tenchi."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The man who served Ryoko the food. I called him at his house. He said that there was another woman who started a fight with her." Washu felt Tenchi's body shiver as well.  
  
"No Washu, don't way it." Tenchi said predicting the answer.  
  
"I asked him to describe the woman." Washu was at the verge of tears. "He described Nagi."  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Tenchi screamed. "GOD NO!"  
  
"I'm so sorry Tenchi." Washu said with a sob. She could feel him tense up suddenly which made her jump in surprise.  
  
"NO! THIS ISN'T FAIR! I just told how I felt... This can't be happening, not now!" Tenchi then stood up, almost knocking Washu back. "I'M NOT GOING TO LET NAGI GET AWAY WITH THIS!"  
  
"Tenchi WAIT!!" Washu called to him but he was already gone, running down the street towards the Yagami. "Oh Tenchi! You're so mad right now you'd leave without if I'm not already there." With that, she called up her holo computer and opened up a portal to the Yagami. "Good thing I always keep these things hanging around." She stepped through.  
  
On the other side she found Kiyone sitting in the pilot's seat looking at her funny. "Washu, where did you come from?"  
  
"From the hotel. I don't have much time to explain so please listen. Tenchi saw a blood trail on the pavement and thought it was Ryoko's. He started to follow it and realized that it led back to the hotel, right where Ryoko was last seen. And while you guys were here I found out from one of the night workers that it was Nagi who attacked Ryoko."  
  
Kiyone gasped. "Does that mean she's...?"  
  
"I'm not completely sure on that, but Tenchi seems to think so. He's on his way here and he's VERY upset."  
  
"I can imagine why." From down the hall, Tenchi could be heard entering the ship. "My, he sure runs fast when he wants to."  
  
Voices traveled down the hall. "Lord Tenchi, are you alright, you look pale."  
  
"Sorry Aeka, I can't talk now." Tenchi soon entered the cockpit of the Yagami and noticed Washu standing waiting for him. "Washu, how did you get here so fast? Oh never mind. Kiyone, power up the engines, we're leaving."  
  
"Where are we going Tenchi?" A worried Kiyone asked.  
  
"Home."  
  
"For what?" Asked a surprised Washu.  
  
"I need to get my sword."   
  



	5. Sleepless

Tenchi Muyo! or any of its characters are not mine and I am not claiming them to be. They belong to AIC/Pioneer. Bla bla bla... just don't sue me... I have to money to take -_-;;  
  
  
  
Koi Mizu  
  
Chapter 5: Sleepless  
  
Nagi walked into the passageway to Ryoko's cell while hefting a large metallic cube in her hands. It was a surprisingly heavy load considered how groggy she still felt in the early hour of the morning. The bounty hunter didn't normally rise at such an hour but there was a good reason, in her mind, for this change of schedule. Setting the cube on the floor she glanced into Ryoko's room and was relieved to see that she was still sleeping.  
  
She turned to the wall and began unclamping the magnetic bindings that held the cover in place. Unfortunately for Nagi, the bounty hunter wasn't quite ready to catch the large metallic sheet and it came crashing down with an echoing sound that pierced the silence. She gulped deeply as Ryoko stirred lightly, and then sat up rubbing her eyes. *Damn.* she idly thought.  
  
Ryoko yawned once and noticed the company just outside the door. She floated over and leaned against the wall so that she could see Nagi working. "What's up?"  
  
"Uh... just installing this exhaust amplifier I bought." Nagi grasped an old rusty cube frame from the wall and slid it out.  
  
"Is that so?" She yawned again. "Where'd you get it?"  
  
"Some junk dealer owed me." She said, sliding the new cube into the gap.  
  
Ryoko rolled off another question. "What do ya need it for?"  
  
Nagi responded. "It's just for some job I gotta do."  
  
"What kinda job?"  
  
"A job that's none of your business! Now lay off!" Nagi spat back but suddenly turned away from Ryoko.  
  
"Alright! Sheesh." Said Ryoko. Attempting to make small talk, Ryoko tried another approach. "You've been around the galaxy, right?"  
  
"Most of it." Her agitated tone anticipated Ryoko's ploy.  
  
"You ever stop by a place called Zalin Prime?"  
  
"Isn't that the planet known for its food? Yeah, I may have stopped by once or twice." Nagi began attaching the wires and cables into the ship's circuits.  
  
"They have an excellent Dorgino grill there. I think it was called Tyu's House of Dorg. You've been right?"  
  
"No."  
  
Ryoko's tone was genuinely disappointed. "Aww, you should really swing by at least once. They make a killer Sewer Mangolio."  
  
"I don't like Mangolio." Nagi responded with a hint of impatience.  
  
"You don't? Then this calls for an occasion; we need to head there right now so you can try their food. You'll change your mind as soo-"  
  
"No, I don't like that kind of food, so just drop it." She said while finishing connecting the last of the wires.  
  
Not the slightest bit dejected, Ryoko continued. "Well I guess that's okay, what kinds of food do you like?"  
  
"What do you care anyway?" Nagi asked rhetorically.  
  
"Just interested, I guess. Think of it this way, if I ever had to buy food for you, this way I'll know what to get."  
  
Nagi only lost more of her patience. "That's ridiculous. I already know that scenario could NEVER happen."  
  
Ryoko smiled and spoke with a tone almost too friendly. "Hey, you never know what the future might bring."  
  
Nagi stood up and sighed angrily. "Look, I know what your trying to do and it's not going to work."  
  
"And what am I trying to do?" She asked accusingly.  
  
She sighed with a cold and bitter tone. "You know, I really don't want to talk to you at all. We're not friends so stop acting like we've been buddies for years. Just a couple months ago you hated me more than anything else in the galaxy and now your all touchy feely. I'd almost say your trying to con me, and knowing you, Ryoko, that's not to far from the truth."  
  
"Yeah well why don't you go do something about it?" Ryoko volleyed back. "I've been sitting around for two months pretty much waiting to die. Honestly I'm tired of making waves, just look where it's got me."  
  
Nagi didn't reply. She just sharply shook her head and walked back to the cockpit. Trying to change gears to the task at hand, she entered coordinates of a small trading post and ignited the engines. It was a small moon, a bit out of the way, but she had good lead that a small bounty was to be found there. Nothing large, but money had been a little tight and she needed a novice head to tie her over for a while.  
  
The trip was long and boring. Nagi didn't allow herself to leave the cockpit in sentiment of having to deal with Ryoko again. She spent her time mentally rehearsing the next big job after today's endeavor, half the reason to keep her mind sharp, the other half to calm her anger towards Ryoko. 'She thinks I'm so naïve' Nagi thought. By the time she finally did arrive at the destination she felt comfortably over prepared for this seemingly simple target. He was a one-time bank robber-murderer-con-artist and Nagi knew that all three acts of crime fell conveniently into his lap. So she wasn't expecting to have to deal with a very experienced person. The reward, however, was enough to draw her attention in his direction.  
  
The port seemed more like a corner mom and pop shop rather than a place where merchants converge. There were few rickety stands to be seen, all which matched well with the surrounding atmosphere hinting that they were permanent placements. The air was saturated with polite perfumes and timid food scents that embraced Nagi like an old friend. She almost smiled when she tested it with her nose. With such an unspoken welcome she wasn't the least bit surprised to see the salesmen and woman gossiping friendly talk. She scoped the quiet strip of shops for a hidden location to watch for the target. Even the darkest corner had pleasant qualities.  
  
She concluded on a small table positioned behind a shop stall. It had average cover and she could see the only entrance from there. It wasn't until she spotted a woman on the opposite side of the hall shooting suspicious glances at her did she realize how out of place she was. In a port such as this, a man carrying a kitchen knife wouldn't go unnoticed. Nagi was armed to the teeth, as she always was, making her body armor and weapons shine like a star on a black sky. She now began to question the legitimacy of her source. Why would a criminal, even a one-time criminal, visit a peaceful place like this? But she ignored her intuition and opted to stick around. The one bad thing about rookie criminals is that they are so unpredictable, there actually is a chance that he might show up.  
  
The woman continued to eye Nagi. It began to irritate her and she tried to ignore it. And as to be defiant she loudly shifted her chair so that her back faced the woman. But this only caused more problems. Nagi tried to cool her anger when she felt a mouse like tap on her shoulder.  
  
"Uh.e-excuse me." Her voice was frightened and small.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I don't- uh, I mean we. we don't want any trouble here. I-If there's anything y-you need I'll be happy to help you."  
  
Nagi rubbed her temples. "I'm doing my job. And my job is to sit here and wait for someone. The details are none of your business. I'm not going to hurt your little slice of heaven here, I just need to be left alone." She added a bit of fire on her tongue in hopes to permanently scare the woman off.  
  
"I-I'll leave you alone then." She walked away with speed that was almost a jog. And as soon as she did Nagi felt a pang of guilt for being so nasty with her, and accomplished for. But then again, having the luxury of being left alone was something Nagi never thought she would ever regret.  
  
As she waited for her target, the hours passed. But the hours didn't innocently trot along like a lively walk through the park, they lurched slowly and stubbornly, as if to passively resist moving forward in time. The invading senseless chatter about gossip, the music that rivaled cooperate elevator music, and the refusal for the target to show up made Nagi shake with aggravation. Her mind rebelliously wished that the women talking would sit closer, so that she might try to pass time with a conversation, even if it was irrelevant talk. But of course, no one came due to her excellent job of scaring them off.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, two more hours droned by adding to the original four. Nagi stomach squeezed with hunger, but she fought the urge to purchase food at the shop three steps from her. She couldn't leave her post no matter what. Experience has been unforgiving in the past. On multiple occasions simple five minute distractions means missing a target who passed through the room, and when Nagi resumed watching she was none the wiser. Resisting the food was an uphill battle. Time mockingly slowed to savor her displeasure, and the sent of the frying foods made her stomach groan with desire. After thirty of the longest minutes of her life, she stood up to purchase a lunch. However, her eyes hardly ever left the entrance to the strip of shops, she would never forgive herself if all this waiting was wasted.  
  
The clock read two o' five, and she was comfortably refueled with food that made the rations on her ship look like dog food. It reminded her of Ryoko's "questioning" earlier that morning and she tried to laugh it off. She decided to amuse herself for a moment and take the question seriously: what type of food did she like? The meal she just ate was a mix of tender meats spiced with mild flavors. It hit the spot, but she couldn't go as far as saying it was the best meal she's ever had. Her earliest memories of good food were moments with her mother. The both of them spent the afternoon adventurously delving into the cookbook. Nagi only being five and her mother never practicing in the trade made it a foreign language to both of them. But the cookies and cakes tasted just as sweet as any master chef would produce, for sentimental reasons.  
  
Nagi relaxed her position significantly and a sigh escaped. How she wished that she could have the moments back in her life where the greatest worries were school, boys, and the uncomfortable bath at the end of the day. Acting as carelessly today as she did then would find her dead before the end of the day. She often wondered what it would be like to sleep in, take a shower at noon and lay about the ship useless to the world, but filled to the brim with ease. Too many things would pull her away from the fantasy, she thought. For one thing guilt would be too much to bear, for it was Nagi's belief that when one enjoys themselves, somewhere in the galaxy somebody is in equal and opposite torment.  
  
Sadly for Nagi's sake, no one came, not even someone who was just passing through. She realized that she was probably the first new person to come to the station in weeks. But even so, she lingered for an extra half-hour to make absolutely sure the place was a dud. While she left she made a mental note to somehow exact revenge on the source that lead her to a wasted day.  
  
Once she was back at the cockpit of the ship, she sparked life into the computer systems. She was about to ignite the engines but she heard the most startling noise. She couldn't identify it at first, but she could have sworn hit came from Ryoko's cell. With a little caution, she peered down the hallway towards the door and through the tiny window she caught a glimpse of Ryoko lying down. Must be talking in her sleep, she thought. Then she heard it again. Even though it was only a murmur it sounded as if tremendous effort was being made to make the sound. Nagi walked down the hall and made a sorrowful discovery. Ryoko was not sleeping; she was lying on her back clenching her stomach, as if she had been stabbed.  
  
"Nagi!" She called again, this time received.  
  
"Oh my god, Ryoko, what's wrong?" She rushed to the door, but did not open it.  
  
"Food. haven't eaten food in over twenty four hours. Where the hell did you go?" She was just above a whisper, but Nagi could tell if given the ability, Ryoko would make her remark loud enough to shatter glass.  
  
She remembered now that she had forgotten to leave some breakfast for Ryoko due to her immediate need to separate herself from the pirate's "small talk". Realizing that it had been a full day since her last meal a silent chord of guilt struck her ribs. Here she was eating the most satisfying meal she's had in months and Ryoko was literally starving.  
  
"I. I guess I'm sorry." She admitted.  
  
"Oh that's rich." Ryoko wheezed out. "This could almost be considered another attempt on my life and you're 'sorry'".  
  
Nagi smiled. "Look, I'll make it up to you."  
  
"You better! I was about to put myself in stasis- wait, where the hell you going now?" Ryoko tried to call Nagi but she was long gone. "Damn you." Another angry pain of hunger jolted her entire body, making her feel like an empty shell that would snap and shrivel at the slightest pressure. She clenched her teeth and swallowed her own mucus, like she had been doing for the last five hours. She knew the human body can survive for a week without food, but she wasn't about to test the fact. Unless Nagi came back in another ten minutes, she concluded to put herself into stasis.  
  
Fortunately for Ryoko's sake, she didn't have to wait half the period before Nagi returned. And with her she carried bags of what smelled like the most glorious food on the galaxy. Nagi had gone back to the shop and bought more of the tender spicy meat that she enjoyed earlier that day. Almost miraculously, the gorgeously lush sent of the meat put what little energy she had left into her arms and legs. She sprang to her feet and was instantly at the door. Her golden eyes glistened with anticipation.  
  
"Is. is that for me?" She cooed like a child.  
  
"Sure is. I really didn't mean for you to starve. It honestly slipped my mind."  
  
"Right, right, your sorry. I get it. Now hand over the goods!"  
  
Once Nagi did so, the time it took for Ryoko to completely ingest the two full bags of tender meat, rice and spice sauce could be measured in seconds.  
  
"More!" Ryoko demanded while still finishing up the last of the rice.  
  
"What? You just ate three meals worth!"  
  
"And I'm four meals behind. MORE!"  
  
"Fine, whatever." Nagi retrieved one ration plate a tossed it at Ryoko. Needless to say, the food never hit the ground. Nagi sighed. "I hope your satisfied, money is becoming a little tight and now it's even worst."  
  
"Yes, very satisfied, thank you." Ryoko said, chugging down a glass of water.  
  
"Well I'm turning in early. Good night, Ryoko."  
  
"Night."  
  
  
  
She turned over in her sleep, quietly rustling the covers. There was a thin layer of sweat that dripped from her restless body. Her eyes seemed to glance nervously left to right under the closed lids. "No. Stay-stay away" Her mumble was barely heard and panicked at the same time.  
  
She turned over again, this time pulling her covers off. Her cloths were soaked with perspiration and the chill in the room when straight to the bone. She began to shiver, but her loud clattering teeth wasn't enough to wake her. "No. no." Her pleas continued to go unheard in the silent room.  
  
Finally the demon that lurked in her mind pounced on her helpless soul. She screamed out in terror, which thankfully woke her from the terrible experience. Images of her dream still fresh in her mind flaunted themselves in the blackened room, causing her to fearfully cower into the corner of the room. Then she saw something flash in the darkness. It was all that was needed to convince her that some-'thing' lurked within her room, unseen in the darkness. Her first reaction was a tingling fear, which soon followed by a still moment of silence in which she dare not move a muscle for it would instigate an attack from the beast. She was now holding her breath making the silence endlessly deafening. Once a moment passed without result she relaxed slightly but still maintained her stiffened defenses. Moment after moment passed ordinarily and the true nature of the beast was clear. *Hmp, just my imagination*, she thought. She was about to laugh for duping herself into thinking such ridiculous things before another shadow jumped across her. It was obvious now that something was there and sitting in the corner wasn't helping the situation. She finally resolved to call out to the shadow.  
  
"Who's there?" She said with a tone that mocked her earlier, confident attitude.  
  
"Shoa?" A worried Ken-Ohki called from the unseen edge of the room. With a shaky sigh, Nagi normally again. She was quickly over to his side of the room and picked him up. She held him close to her chest hugging him comfortably.  
  
"Don't ever do that again, You scared me."  
  
The little cabbit tried his best to make for himself my snuggling up to her neck. Her panicked heart shook Ken-Ohki as it failed to relax even when he pleasantly purred for her. It was many long moments of her petting his soft fur that she finally recomposed herself. Thereafter she continued petting him for his deed in providing company after her atrocious dream. She questionably glanced over to the bed that trapped her earlier. It was so unappealing she had no desire to ever sleep again. *Sleep is overrated anyway. I should take alert pills* She concluded. Giving her pet one last meaningful scratch, she stood to stretch her twined bones. And with a hypocritical yawn, she opened the door to her room.  
  
Light from the hallway immediately flooded through her gradually opening door. She squinted harshly until her eyes were properly adjusted. Out in the hall all that could be seen was Ryoko's room. The shield around her was the only light source and it shone like an intense star in the void of space. Nagi tensed slightly to see that Ryoko wasn't resting in bed but rather awake and active, feigning punches and kicks in the air.  
  
"Getting a little exercise?" Nagi asked approaching her.  
  
"You could say that." Ryoko responded, not taking her attention away from her task.  
  
"Do you always do this at night?" She questioned.  
  
"Not really. I couldn't sleep, and after thinking for a while I realized I could get into better shape."  
  
Of course, Nagi took this as a threat. "I hope you don't think that practicing your left hook a few times will actually change your situation."  
  
Ryoko shrugged. "You never know what the future will hold."  
  
Nagi let out a loud laugh. "Ha! That's just rich coming from you. Since when did Ryoko the Space Pirate ever look before she leaped?"  
  
Ryoko stopped her exercises and turned to her, somewhat short of breath. "I guess your right. Ryoko the Space Pirate probably wouldn't think about the future too much." She resumed her training. "But me on the other hand..."  
  
Nagi only smiled. "Real cute Ryoko."  
  
A short silence drifted through the room. "So, why couldn't you sleep anyway?" She said trying to make conversation.  
  
"Had a bad dream." She laughed. "Probably all that food I ate. What about you?"  
  
Nagi let out obvious hesitation. "Uh. I had. a nightmare."  
  
"Is that so..." She mused, pondering the coincidence. "What was it about?"  
  
"It's not really important."  
  
"You don't think so? I once heard if you don't tell other people your nightmares they might come true." Ryoko said warningly.  
  
A chuckle escaped Nagi. "Silly superstition."  
  
"Yeah. Well we both had nightmares on the same night. I'm feeling pretty superstitious right now." Ryoko stopped her practice punches for good.  
  
"Well. I don't really feel like it." She gently dodged.  
  
"Heh, don't worry I'll go first." Ryoko said. Nagi rolled her eyes while wondering how she managed herself into this position.  
  
"Let's see here..." She took a moment to recall the events of her sleep. "It all started very pleasantly. I was at home, and everyone was there. Sasami was working hard on dinner, which had the sent of a glorious royal dinner. Mihoshi was breaking something and Kiyone throwing her usual fit about responsibilities and such. Even though voices were raised the general mood seemed soft and cozy. I know seems weird but the memory felt like I was hugging a giant pillow that was warm and soft I wrapped myself up in it and nearly drifted asleep inside my dream. Tenchi was there too, adding a pinch to the warm love that radiated from the home." A smile touched her face at each fond moment of the dream. "For some reason Aeka was an old maid. but that's besides the point. Pretty much everything was at its normal state.  
  
"And then I had to leave. Perhaps it was the dream, but I can't remember exactly why I had to leave but it was really important. I felt this sudden urge that if I didn't get up and leave that very moment something horrible might happen. It felt like someone in the family-someone who helped created our cozy home-was in danger. I was frightened, I guess. Frightened that I might never come back. Afraid of the pain my departure might cause for the ones close to me, and scared for the one in danger I had to save. Even in my dream I remember shaking as I left the warm pillow that protected me.  
  
"This is the part of the dream I don't remember. All I know is that I was successful. Whatever I had to do was done. I raced home faster than I thought possible. I was so worried that the slightest thing would go wrong when I was so close to returning. I was afraid of GP stopping me and taking me to jail forever. I thought that Ryo-Ohki would forget the way home, as ridiculous as it would sounds I was scared of even that. Even when I landed on the planet I felt so far away. I ran back to my home, and when I got there. when I got there it was in flames. Everyone was dead. My home, my comfort, my love. it was all gone. All I could do was sit there and ignorantly curse the sky. Then I woke up."  
  
"Sounds rough." Nagi eventually noted in a bland tone.  
  
"Yeah, But I'm feeling a lot better now."  
  
Ryoko's voice suddenly cheered up considerably. "Okay, your turn."  
  
"Wait a second, there aren't any turns here. I'm not going to go."  
  
"Aww, c'mon Nagi! What's the harm in telling me a little dream you had?"  
  
"Well, I. uh- don't think it'll be as interesting as your."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. Dreams are always interesting. They are always speaking what our lips cannot say." She said as if quoting someone.  
  
"No, it's stupid. I'm not going to go."  
  
"It's not stupid."  
  
Nagi glared at her angrily. But Ryoko's pleading puppy dog eyes softened her hard expression.  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Pretty, pretty please?"  
  
"No wait. let me hear more about you." She said, desperately avoided the spotlight.  
  
"Oh no. don't try and turn the tables on me. Your going to tell me what your dream was!"  
  
"No-no. I really mean it. I want to know." She forced every shred of honesty into her expression.  
  
"Well..." A goofy grin was slapped across her face. "Alright, I'll tell you about my home. It's so quiet up there on the little hill that we live on. People would come by once in a while to visit the shrine and such but those visits were so few and far between it felt more like a long distance relative coming to see you." Ryoko let out a laugh. "Oh and Yosho! You'd never tell he was a Juria King even if you slapped him under a microscope. He'll humble himself to just about anyone who sets foot on the shrine grounds. A real nice old man."  
  
"I think I remember him. He was hurt when ran into you guys on the way to Jurai."  
  
"Nice memory." Ryoko chuckled.  
  
"It's an unfortunate gift."  
  
She laughed again and continued. "Yes, Yosho was seriously injured when Kagato attacked, but that's getting off subject. The house itself was pretty large compare to other Earth homes. It had seven bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, living room, and library. Not to mention the unlimited space of Washu's lab, which was never fully utilized. Everything that was in the closet before she took over was just stacked in a small pile next to the door inside the lab. Basically her high tech lab was an oversized closet. Washu is an interesting jewel herself. Out of all of us, even Sasami, she acted - and therefore was - the youngest. Either that lady is trying to make up for something or she really is that young. I don't think I've ever seen Washu do a serious thing in her whole life. Even when we're fighting it's all a joke, turning the enemies into water sprites." There was a short pause as she realized something: "It kinda makes you think. With all that scientific knowledge she is probably more powerful than you and me combined. And at the same time she plays around like everything is a game."  
  
Nagi interjected. "Yeah, the little girl thought it was cute when she made that 'old western' theme arena for us on Venus."  
  
Ryoko slowly nodded. "Yeah."  
  
A nervous ping shot through both of them. "Even though. one of us could have died. it was all kinda funny to her." Ryoko finished.  
  
A short silence ensued. "Ryoko, about that..."  
  
"Yeah?" She expectedly responded.  
  
"You could have killed me. It would have ended it all; those years of fighting would be over. You wouldn't be here now sitting in this cell, you'd be at home laying comfortably with your husband and your friends."  
  
Ryoko laughed. "First of all. Tenchi isn't my husband. yet. Secondly, I didn't kill you because." She paused for a moment. "I don't know. everyone seemed so cheery about the whole thing. They all watched us as if we were boxers at a fight show. I'm not sure what it was. but that fight was too friendly to end in blood shed. Heh, maybe it was Washu's sporting attitude that effected us. Besides, Ryo-Ohki would have abandoned me if I did."  
  
"Oh." Said Nagi.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Why didn't you kill me?"  
  
"I would have but. but you got away, remember? Aeka interfered." Nagi said elusively.  
  
"Please Nagi, don't give me that. You had me completely beat. You just had to flick your wrist and I was a goner. But instead you stopped to fire at Aeka, who was releasing Tenchi from his bindings. If you think about it, it doesn't really make sense. Tenchi was no longer a factor since the trap had already been set, but you allowed yourself to get distracted anyway. I always figured that you purposely let me go."  
  
There was a pause before Nagi responded. "Oh, that." She sighed. "Well, I. I don't know."  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
"No, I honestly don't know!" She repeated with annoyance. "I was so close to my goal that it made me nervous. You wouldn't have been able to tell from you position, but when you were finally beaten my hands where shaking so badly I could hardly hold the whip. I felt like I was about to jump off a cliff or something. I guess. I. just don't know."  
  
Ryoko looked at her for a moment and attempted to figure out what to say. Ultimate she said nothing and stared at the floor. Nagi broke the silence. "I should probably get some sleep."  
  
"No, wait." Ryoko called her back.  
  
"I don't have anything to say."  
  
"Nagi, why does it always have to be like this? We talk about how horrible it is that we didn't kill each other. So you couldn't go through with it. why is that a bad thing?" Ryoko questioned.  
  
Nagi was about to leave but stopped herself. "Because we're on two sides of the fence! I'm a bounty hunter; you're a space pirate. How else are we supposed to act?"  
  
"Who cares about what we're 'supposed' to act like. If everyone acted like they were supposed to we wouldn't have bounty hunters or space pirates. And as far as I can tell, both of those 'rolls' have ended, or else you would killed me a month ago on Coralius."  
  
"That's because." and as if to hastily swerve through a fork in the road, Nagi blurted out, "I've decided to personally carry out your sentence instead of killing you."  
  
"When the hell were you planning on telling me?" She asked skeptically.  
  
"Just now."  
  
There was a moment where nothing passed between them. Both Ryoko AND Nagi considered this sudden revelation. Nagi, having just thought up the scenario on the spot wondered what the hell she was thinking, while Ryoko wondered exactly what Nagi was trying to get at. They both reached a similar conclusion: this must be a joke.  
  
They both grinned.  
  
"So, judge, how long do I have?"  
  
"I'd say you're in for life. But since you've been clean for 3 years I'll trim it down to 15-20 on good behavior."  
  
"Good behavior, eh?" Ryoko played on. "What exactly does 'good behavior' qualify as?"  
  
"For starters you could mind your own business. The jailer's personal life is not up for discussion." She felt pleased; thinking that some progress was being made.  
  
"Hmm, I don't know if that's a very fair rule."  
  
"I don't remember asking you."  
  
"I would understand such a request under normal circumstances, but frankly, these aren't normal circumstances. It's just the two of us. I mean, it just wouldn't be FAIR is you knew everything about me and I don't know the slightest thing about you." Ryoko snickered.  
  
"Oh no! It wouldn't be fair?" Her own sarcastic tone made her laugh. "Oh my gosh, Ryoko wants something to be fair! What about that time when you used the GP to attack me while you fled? How fair was that?"  
  
"Please, you dug your own grave there. You're the one who fired on them, remember?"  
  
"Whatever." She tried to change the subject. "Anyway. you were saying something earlier, about your home?"  
  
"Eh, I don't really feel like it anymore."  
  
"Oh you don't?" There was the ever so slightest hint of disappointment, just barely enough to raise Ryoko's eyebrows.  
  
"Well, well, well. Is someone interested in hearing a little about myself?"  
  
"I just meant-"  
  
"Oh no. it's perfectly fine. If you want to hear about my life then I'll be happy to share."  
  
"I was just saying-"  
  
"I completely understand, you don't want to share but other sharing with you is perfectly fine, I read ya loud and clear."  
  
"That's not what-"  
  
"I mean, I wouldn't really feel comfortable leveling out with someone I know nothing about."  
  
"You're getting the wrong idea-"  
  
"I'd feel just a little better if I knew just one thing about this person."  
  
"I'm only-"  
  
"Maybe if we had casual talk, about nothing in particular, I would feel just a little better about sharing things about myself."  
  
"What are you-"  
  
"If only I knew why you were up so late. What kind of dream could spook even you."  
  
"ALL RIGHT! GOD DAMNIT I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT MY STUPID DREAM!"  
  
Ryoko nearly squealed in joy. "'Bout time! Now lets have it."  
  
She shot a withering glare. "I don't know what you expect though; it's just a dream." She's sighed quickly and tried to make her story as short as possible. "It's always the same one--whenever I have a nightmare, that is. I'm in a forest and it's extremely dark. It's hard to explain. but it feels like the forest is so deep that every direction goes the same way. No matter which way I go I'll always end in the same place. And then there's the stalker. He- it- whatever it is, it's always following me. If I run harder, it chases faster, if I walk quietly, then it advances slowly. No matter what I do it's always coming closer to me. I never see it, I never hear it, I just know it's out there coming for me."  
  
A silent chill ran through Ryoko. "Damn that's spooky."  
  
"Uh, I guess so." Nagi quietly responded.  
  
"You guess so?"  
  
"Whatever, it's not important."  
  
"Suit yourself. Buy if I had the same dream every night I would get pretty irritated."  
  
"Uh, right. Anyway, you were saying before? About this place you stay at."  
  
Ryoko continued with her tale, this time with s pleasant sense of victory. She felt a pinch of shame for making such an overzealous scene about this one little dream. It probably meant nothing at all, but she was still curious, it was her nature to be. It was now obvious to her that the battle between them hadn't ended at all; it just merely changed playing fields. She thought perhaps that that was the real reason Nagi spared her life, one could not flaunt a victory when the opponent is dead. Still, it doesn't make sense. It wasn't like the Nagi she knew. Its like is something inside her starting to spoil, making the Nagi on the outside act peculiar.  
  
She was now finishing up explaining what happened after the Jurai revolution. Their adventure through time to save Tenchi's mother from Kain and the incident with Haruna a short while afterwards. Nagi seemed a tad bit more interested in that then Ryoko's boring profile of her family, especially when it involved Ryoko fighting in some way.  
  
"You've been a busy girl." Nagi said with a tricky smile.  
  
"I guess it's just my bad luck. Nobody ever leaves me alone." She returned sarcastically.  
  
"So you've got this nice house, lots of friends, and a knack to attract trouble." She shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you Ryoko. I just catch em, I don't judge em."  
  
"Are you telling me you never once judged me?" Ryoko asked skeptically.  
  
"No, I haven't" she responded quickly.  
  
"Bull shit." Ryoko started to laugh.  
  
"I haven't! It's the truth. Your just another faceless criminal in my book."  
  
This only made Ryoko laugh harder.  
  
"Whatever. I'm going to bed. I think we've both shared equally, I say were even for the time being." Nagi said receding down the hall.  
  
"Far from it, you still owe me a life story!" Ryoko called to her but she had already sulked back to her bed.  
  
  
  
She sat in her room aimlessly staring. At what she was staring at was always different from moment to moment. Her small desk, the blue futon below her, the door, the gray ceiling, the vastness of space, in her mind it all seemed to blend together, connecting with one another wielding little meaning. She glanced at the miniature computer in her hand and as soon as she focused her eyes on it, it's purpose in reality seemed unimportant. It was just an object. A collection of molecules stuck together with ionic bonds. And then she would blink and reality bubbled up for moment. She punched up the main screen and checked the time. It read 2:36 A.M.  
  
It was that moment when Ken-Ohki walked in. She knew he was there and allowed him to nuzzle under her hand. She turned on her side to idly pet him, moving her eyes to the stars outside. The ship was rotating and the stars were moving down... or was she moving up? She blinked again and realized the truth. Nagi began to wonder about her next kill. This was the moment she often tried to avoid when preparing for a job. "You can never anticipate the kill." she spoke dryly, reminding her of things she already knew. The more someone with a fear of height thinks about crossing a bridge, the more frighten that person becomes of actually doing the task. The more she thought of plunging her dagger deep into the flesh of another human being the more she shook in fear. Which is exactly why Nagi never allowed herself to anticipate the kill. It was a weakness to her. She thought back to what Ryoko had asked. Why was she unable to take Ryoko's life on Venus? She had always waited for that day with high anticipation, it must have been just that now that she thought of it. 'It was stupid of me to worry about something so small' she convinced herself. Ken-Ohki bumped her hand again and she realized that she stopped petting him. She resumed her stroking.  
  
By the time her pet had drifted asleep she decided to stretch a little. Maybe it would loosen her up enough to get some rest. She stood and exited the room briefly gasping at how cold it was outside her door. She quickly realized that it wasn't cold in the ship, it's just that her body was accustomed to the warm and muggy atmosphere in her room. Her nightgown was soaked through with sweat and she concluded that the sleepless tossing and turning was what made her so unbearably sweaty. She sat down at the pilot's chair and relaxed her muscles as they spread across its cool surface. Something wasn't quite right. The chair didn't fit correctly with her body and she squirmed until she could relax. Frustrated, she got out of the chair and tried to lean against the wall, only to find similar results. She glanced down the corridor to see the gleaming light filter from Ryoko's cell. She awkwardly walked towards the door and peered in. She was jealous of her deep and relaxing sleep so she superstitiously leaned against the door, it hopes to find the same comfort Ryoko was in.  
  
'A dream...' Nagi thought, 'What a stupid thing to fight over.' She glanced back at Ryoko one more time, then ashamedly dropped them to the floor.  
  
"You know Ryoko, I only told you about half my dream." She started to speak, quietly and apologetically. "I told you how the monster hunted me in the forest, and how he always comes closer. Well, I didn't tell you what happens when he catches me." Then her voice caught in her throat and something similar to a sob choked out. "He rapes me Ryoko. He puts his hands all over me and I can't do anything to stop him. The pain is so intense and he- he makes me touch him. I'm so frightened that I have to build up courage just to scream. I can't even look him in the face." Nagi stopped herself. Her whole body slid down the wall and she hugged her knees. "And the worst part. is that it's not just a dream." She leaned her head against the door and almost instantly fell asleep. 


End file.
